ASPIRING WRITERS GUIDELINES:

1. Aspiring writers (those unpublished in the mystery field) submit the first 500 words of a mystery short story or novel and an optional 100 word (maximum) synopsis.
2. Entries should be in standard submission format: 12 point Times New Roman or Courier New font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.
3. One submission per person
4. There are a limited number of aspiring writer slots available, so submit early.
5. Deadline to submit: Friday, March 31, 2009
6. Entry Fee: None
7. All Aspiring Writers must attend the Barbara Burnett Smith Aspiring Writers Event to be held Sunday, May 17, 2009 in Austin, Texas.
8. Those chosen as aspiring writers will receive one or more mentor e-mails prior to the BBSAWE, a 30-minute one-on-one session with a mentor (an author published in the mystery field) at the BBSAWE, and comments on the submission.
9. At the BBSAWE, Aspiring Writers are invited to ask their mentors questions about their submitted works or the publishing business.

Send entries to: entry@hotxsinc.org
Subject: BBSAWE entry
Include: Name, email address and phone number
Attach: one document with the synopsis (100 word max) and the first 500 words of the manuscript