Social media is usually a distraction for writers working on their novel, but in 2020, it could be a gateway to quiet and solitude. HolidayCottages.co.uk, a UK-based vacation rental site with a focus on quaint accommodations, is offering one novelist a free writer's retreat. All they have to do to enter is summarize their book in a tweet.
Whether you have an idea for a new novel or you're in the middle of writing one, you can pitch your story using the hashtag #WriTweet. The pitch has to be engaging enough to catch the attention of the competition's judge and brief enough to fit Twitter's 280-character limit. Elizabeth Macneal, writer of the book The Doll Factory, will read one entry per candidate and choose a winner.
The person with the best tweet will be treated to a week-long writer's retreat at their choice of three cottages. The options include cozy homes in the countrysides of East Sussex, England; Carmarthenshire, Wales; and East Scotland. At the end of the writer's stay, Macneal will provide feedback on up to 10,000 words of what they've written so far.
If you're interested in applying, you can pitch your story on Twitter using the hashtag #WriTweet before midnight on January 24, 2020. The winner will be contacted within 28 days of the contest deadline. Looking for inspiration? Here are some creative ways novelists have used Twitter as a medium in the past.
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