Indie Reads TV... Writing Contest
​
IndieReads TV... Literally Television At Its Finest

You're an author.  You've written a book.  You know your book better than anyone else.  Chances are, you've thought once or twice about what your story might look like on the screen.  Well, here's your chance to see that dream come true!  Turn a scene from your book into a One-Act play, ready for Community Access Television Prime Time on Indie Reads TV!

We will read through the submissions and choose three winners.  Each winning author will have their One-Act produced for television in front of a LIVE studio audience! 

The Submission Deadline is September 30, 2019.  Indie Authors from ALL 50 Untied States are eligible to enter!

Winners will be announced on this page of our website and on our Facebook Page November 1, 2019.  One-Act programs will go into production after November 1, 2019, with the coordination of the station manager, actors, and facilities availability at CMNTV.  

Here Are The Rules:

1. Any missing element to these rules will mean disqualification for the entry.
2. Choose a compelling scene from your book, and convert it to a One-Act play.  Your book must be published and currently available to the public either through a website, Amazon, or a bookseller.
3. Only One-Acts adapted from books published by Indie Authors (either self or small press published) will be accepted.
4. One-Act means One Set.  Your entire scene must take place in one location, either interior or exterior.
5. LENGTH: Your play must not go over 30 minutes, so be sure to do a run-through either with yourself, or with friends and family to be sure you don't go over time.  If we read it aloud, and it takes longer than 30 minutes, you'll be disqualified.
6. Your One-Act must be FAMILY FRIENDLY IN SPEECH AND PRESENTATION.  
7. No foul language... If you can imagine your grandmother cringing at the sound of it, don't ask our actors say it.
8. No sexually suggestive scenes, costumes, props, or locations.
9. No overt violence.  If you have questions about this, it's probably too over-the-top for prime time, community access television, and you should rewrite it or choose a different scene.
10. Your submission must include your complete contact information on the first page!  If we can't reach you, you are guaranteed not to win!
11. Your submission must include the title of your book, and your author name.
12. Your submission must include a full synopsis of your book, so we can give the audience context before they watch your One-Act.
13. Your submission must include "buy" links and/or the name and link to a bookseller who carries your book.
14. Your submission must include your author headshot in jpg format.
15. Your submission must include your book's cover in jpg format.
16. Your submission must include your author bio.
17. Your submission must be written as a script, complete with narration (if any), dialogue, and stage directions.  If you are unsure how to write in this format, you can probably find something on Google, Wikipedia, and/or YouTube to help you along.
18. Your submission must include a cast list, with names of characters and a brief bio about each one as it pertains to the scene.  Offering a bit of backstory on your characters will help the actors bring them to life more effectively.  Remember, this is a small set, so a scene with fewer characters will play better.  We would prefer you do not include characters that are children... unless they're professionals, they're tough to wrangle.
19. Your submission must include a props list... if it is to be found on the set during the show, we need to know WHAT it is.  Is it something handled by a person?  Is it a piece of furniture?  Is it hanging on a wall or something found on the floor?... No live animals or weapons, please.
20. Your submission must include a scene/set description.  Where does your scene take place... is it indoors or outdoors?  Is it in a special place... bedroom, courtroom, cemetery, hospital, space station, jungle... whatever?  Be sure to give us as many details as you can about WHERE your story takes place so we can create an appropriate set.  Remember, we're working with community access television, so basic sets, or a limited "space staging" approach is best.  We don't have Hollywood, or even Sundance budgets!
21. Your submission must include WHEN your story takes place.  This is critical to be sure we get the set pieces, costumes, and props right for the time period.  Remember to include simple descriptors like night, day, lunchtime, etc.  This will help us place your scene.
22. Your submission must include a a costume list.  Is how people are dressed important to the scene you are presenting?  What should people wear?  Again, keep in mind that we have limited budgets and will probably be hitting up the actor's own closets; so a suit of full plate armor might be a bit of an impossibility.
23. Your submission must include a sound and special effects list.  Is there special music playing (remember to use public domain music so we don't have copyright issues).  Do you need thunder, car horns, ringing phones, howling wolves, sirens wailing... what do you want the audience to hear other than the actor's voices?
24. Your entire submission text must upload as one file in MS Word, PDF, or RTF format, with two separate files for the book's cover and your headshot.

TO BE CLEAR... the prize for winning this writing contest is to have your One-Act play produced and aired on community access television via our program, Indie Reads TV.  There is NO financial compensation for winners/authors/publishing houses.  All actors and crew for each production are non-paid volunteers.  Audience members are not charged a fee to attend, and they are not paid for their attendance.
Travel expenses to the CMNTV production studios in Troy, Michigan is not provided for authors, actors, crew, or audience participants.

SEND ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CONTEST TO DIANA@PAGESPROMOTIONS.COM.