FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is the Claymore Dagger Award?
2. Why does Killer Nashville give an award to a manuscript that is not even published?
3. What do I win?
4. How do I enter?
5. Do I have to attend Killer Nashville to win?
6. Who can submit to win the Claymore Dagger award?
7. Who judges the entries?
8. What if someone famous enters, how could I possible win, once the judges see his or her name on the manuscript?
9. What if I win, am I going to be asked to pony up more money or something to get published?
10. What if I still have questions?
11. I'm ready to submit my entry.  How do I do it?

1) What is the Claymore Dagger Award?

Affectionately known as the “Great Beginnings Award,” the Claymore Dagger is Killer Nashville’s award for the best unpublished manuscript submitted to the Killer Nashville judging committee.

2) Why does Killer Nashville give an award to a manuscript that is not even published?

Staying true to the spirit of Killer Nashville and our efforts to help support the up-and-coming writer, as well as the published professional, we are giving an award recognizing the most outstanding manuscript submitted that has yet to be published.  We want to reward effort and encourage talent regardless of the level of past success.

3) What do I win?

In addition to the physical Claymore Dagger Award itself and the honor of having won it, the winner is also eligible for a publishing contract.  Avalon Books, our sponsoring publisher, agrees to consider publishing the finished manuscript.  No one can guarantee publication, but it will give the winner an open door for serious consideration.  Not a bad prize.  Avalon Books is our 2009 Claymore Dagger publishing partner.

4) How do I enter?

Entering is easy.

Simply mail up to the first 50 pages (or the first complete chapter) of an unpublished manuscript that is not under contract, your registration form, and your PayPal receipt (or a check for $30.00 payable to Killer Nashville Claymore Dagger Award) to:

Killer Nashville: The Claymore Dagger Award
P.O. Box 680686
Franklin, TN 37068-0686

Entries should be double-spaced, in 10- to 12-point Courier or Times New Roman, with at least 1-inch margins.  The title and page number should appear as a header on each page, but the author’s name should appear ONLY on the registration form.  Since the manuscripts are evaluated using a blind judging method, the author’s name should not appear on the manuscript itself.

Entries will not be returned.  Do not include a SASE.

Upon receipt by Killer Nashville, you will be contacted to inform you that your entry package did arrive.  Upon review of your manuscript, you will be informed of the judges’ decision following Killer Nashville 2010.

Please include enough postage for us to receive your material.  We do not accept any manuscripts with postage due.

The $30 entry fee is nonrefundable and goes toward cost of the conference.

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT TO ENTER:  MAY 5, 2010.  All entries received after that date will be disqualified.

5) Do I have to attend Killer Nashville to win?

No, you do not have to attend the Killer Nashville conference.  While we would love to have every up-and-coming writer attend our conference, we feel it would be against our mission to only allow attendees the opportunity to win.

The only thing we ask is that upon publication, the winning author will make comment in the writer’s acknowledgements page to Killer Nashville for assisting in getting his or her manuscript published.

6) Who can submit to win the Claymore Dagger award?

Because this award is for the best beginning to an unpublished manuscript, unpublished writers would benefit the most from winning the award.

Published authors who are “between publishers” and would like to get some buzz about their new works would also benefit.

We do not want to exclude anyone, though.  If you are a published author with an unpublished manuscript (that is not currently under contract) that you would like to enter, please be our guest.  Just because you win the Claymore Dagger Award does not mean you have to publish the winning entry with our publishing sponsor, Avalon Books.

7) Who judges the entries?

A committee of experienced, dedicated readers and writers including past and current Killer Nashville attendees will review all submissions.  They will recommend and submit ten manuscripts to our sponsoring publisher, Avalon Books, whose editors will make the final decision and award the Claymore Dagger Award to the winning author.  All decisions are final and at the sole discretion of the publisher.  Winning the Claymore Dagger Award does not guarantee publication. Avalon Books may (but is not obligated to) offer publishing contracts to any of the ten finalists. Although manuscripts in any crime fiction genre may win the award, to increase your manuscript’s chances of being chosen for publication, you should follow Avalon’s publishing guidelines, which may be found here: http://www.avalonbooks.com/wrtgdl.html.

8) What if someone famous enters? How could I possibly win, once the judges see his or her name on the manuscript?

Upon receipt of a manuscript, it will be given a code number unique to its author.  Each manuscript submitted to the committee and publisher will be identified by the code number rather than by the author’s name.  Since neither the committee nor the publisher will know who has written a given submission, each manuscript will be judged on its own merits, with no bias against or in favor of a particular author.

9) What if I win? Am I going to be asked to pony up more money or something to get published?

No.  There is no fine print.

We do NOT work with “self” or “vanity” publishers as sponsors.

We understand that there are writing contest scams out there.  We know that there are some “Bait and Switch” deals going on that hooks up “winners” to vanity presses and that the “prize” is a discount on publication money that you have to pay.  This is not the case here.

The Claymore Dagger is a natural progression for an annual conference that is growing in both size and reputation and wants to expand on its core mission of helping up-and-coming writers.

As a winner, you are under NO obligation to accept the publication offer, if one is made.  If Avalon Books feels that your work is something that it would like to publish, contract negotiations would begin between you (or your agent or attorney) and Avalon Books.  Killer Nashville has nothing to do with your publishing contract.  Killer Nashville receives no compensation or consideration from Avalon Books.

We are also not affiliated in any way with your manuscript after it has been awarded the Claymore Dagger.

10) What if I still have questions?

Simple.  Send them to us.

We will answer your questions to the best of our abilities.

We look forward to reading your submission.

Click here for a printable entry form

Payment may be either check enclosed with your entry form or online credit card payment.  Click here to pay online using PayPal.