In celebration of National Novel Writing Month (November 1st-30th), The Editorial Department, LLC—the country's oldest independent book editing company—is hosting a nationwide contest to find and help perfect the next great American novel. The grand prize winner will win a complete manuscript evaluation and line-editing package from The Editorial Department and have the opportunity to work directly with Renni Browne, who has edited hundreds of successfully published novels, co-authored the bestselling Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and is one of publishing's most experienced and highly respected fiction editors.

This contest is limited to completed fiction manuscripts of any genre between 50,000 and 110,000 words. Published and unpublished authors alike are encouraged to enter, but submitted manuscripts must be unpublished and not under contract at time of submission.

Early entry is encouraged as contest participation is on a first-come, first-served basis with a 500-submission limit.

Contest guidelines and further details follow:

America's Next Top Novel
Sponsored by The Editorial Department

Guidelines: All writers of unpublished book-length fiction are eligible. To enter, contestants upload the first 50 pages of their manuscripts and a short synopsis via our website at www.editorialdepartment.com . All submissions must be no longer than the first 50 manuscript pages, double-spaced, in 12 point font, with standard margins. The synopsis may not exceed three double-spaced pages.

Fee: $25. All contest participants will receive a complimentary copy of our fiction-writing e-book series.

Deadline: Entries will be accepted from November 1st through December 22nd, 2007.

Grand Prize: A comprehensive editorial evaluation of the complete manuscript, followed by a line-edit of the entire manuscript by Renni Browne. If the winning manuscript does not already have a literary agent, it will be entered into our Agent Matchmaking program.

2nd Prize: A coaching line-edit of the first 50 pages, which includes hands-on editing and polishing of a writer's style with attention to quality and flow of narrative voice, dialogue, proportion, mechanics and overall readability.

3rd Prize: A query and synopsis critique or a critique of the first 10 manuscript pages.

Runners-up will receive individual notations on the submitted 50 pages by contest judges.

Prizewinners will be announced by February 1st, 2007.