WRITING | The 3-Day Novel Contest isn’t yet a money-maker, but new independent owners say, hey, you never know.

Some writers spend years working on their novels. Decades, even. And sometimes that dedication pays off. Then there are the winners of the 3-Day Novel Contest. (I’ve written about this before. I’ve even competed.) Contest entrants commit only 72 hours to their art, but their novels are published just the same. It’s a venture that draws hundreds of hopefuls from all over the world, and though it’s not yet an economic powerhouse, those at the contest’s helm say the interest it generates is invaluable to the Canadian writing community.

Now in it’s 28^th year, the 3-Day Novel Contest has changed hands multiple times.

Formerly run by Arsenal Pulp Press, Anvil Press, and Blue Lake Books, respectively, last year it became an independent organization, managed by Vancouverite Melissa Edwards and Toronto publisher Barbara Zatyko.

“Taking the contest over and starting it fresh as an independent venture cost a lot,” Edwards told Dose. “Editing, designing, and illustrating and printing are subsidized … but still run close to $10,000. We also pay the authors a small advance.” Then there’s promotion and distribution of review copies to consider. “At this point it is wholly selfless. We’re out of pocket to keep the contest going … but that doesn’t mean we don’t hope to be selfish one day.”

Love Block, 2004, a 3-Day Novel Contest winner

Edwards says the contest’s registration fees ($50 per entrant) are always spent in Canada.

Cash goes to printers, designers, editors, artists, web designers, and their biggest payee – Canada Post. As for how the authors are faring, it’s early days yet for last year’s winning novel, Love Block (co-written by Megan Austin and Shannon Mullally), but Edwards says sales figures are similar to that of any small, cultural niche publisher. Even so, she says she’s “always hoping to get that big international hit and end up in countless reprints!”

On the whole, publishing is always a bit of a crap-shoot, but that’s true of the whole industry. And the 3-Day Novel Contest is all about taking a chance.

Sidebar: How the contest works

Outlines are permitted beforehand, but writing must begin no earlier than 12:01 a.m., Sat., Sept. 3 and must stop by midnight, Mon., Sept. 5. Novels can be written in any location – but writing must cease at the correct time. All manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, printed on standard paper, and sent to the 3-Day Novel Contest postmarked no later than Sept. 9, 2005. Writers who use longhand may use the next business week to have their manuscripts typed (but are not allowed to edit). Contest entrants must register no later than September 2^nd, 2005. Entry and contest info is available at www.3daynovel.com.

A version of this article about the 3-Day Novel Contest published in print in Dose on August 12, 2005. Clipping is below. 

Published in Dose, August 12, 2005.