The 2025 Lost Island Writing Contest
Submissions will be open from October 1–December 31. At least one writer will land a publishing deal.
To learn more, watch our founder’s official announcement video below.
A submissions form will be added to this page on October 1, 2025.
In the meantime, read through the criteria below to see if your book (and you, as a writer) would be a good fit. It’s also recommended to join our newsletter to stay updated on the contest.
Book Eligibility
Only one submission is allowed per writer. If you’re working on multiple projects, choose your best piece, and ensure that it meets the following criteria:
1. Target Audience
Readers of all ages enjoy young adult (YA) books, but the category is defined by two things: the age of your protagonist(s) and the amount of sexual content.
Age of Protagonist(s)
Your protagonist should be between 13–19 years old.
We’ll also consider new adult (NA) protagonists, which are between 20–25 years old (as long as the sexual content rule outlined below is still followed).
Occasional POVs from older adult characters can work if they are not the primary protagonist.
Sexual Content
Explicit sexual content is not allowed. Romance must be closed-door (“fade to black”), meaning sex can be implied but not shown.
Below is our backend rating system for sexual content. We allow categories 0–4, but not 5.
Violence & Profanity
Below is our backend rating system for violence and profanity. We allow 0–5 for both categories, though we consider 5 with caution. Staying in the 0–4 range is recommended.
2. Genres
Your manuscript should fit into at least one of the following genres:
Dystopian
Set in bleak, oppressive worlds where survival is a constant struggle
- Lone Player by Julia Rosemary Turk
- Nightshade Academy by Mel Torrefranca
Soft Sci-fi
Set in technological worlds without the complexities of hard science fiction
Hard Sci-fi
Set in technological worlds where science and technology are grounded in realism, logic, and precision
This is a new genre at our press
Low Fantasy
Set in realistic worlds with a hint of magic, whimsy, or the unusual
- My Brother’s Spare by Shira Behore
- The Memory Jumper by Amanda Michelle Brown
High Fantasy
Set in imaginary worlds with rich lore, complex magic systems, and epic stakes
This is a new genre at our press
3. Word Count
Your manuscript must be between 60,000–120,000 words.
We will only consider novels—no short stories, novellas, or anthologies.
4. Series Status
We accept any of the following:
- Standalone
- Standalone with series potential
- First book in a duology
- First book in a trilogy
If you submit a standalone or standalone with series potential and win the contest, you will be offered a one-book deal.
If you submit a duology or trilogy starter, you will be offered a two- or three-book deal.
5. Completion & Publication Statuses
Your book must be finished for us to consider it for publication. It’s okay if it’s not fully edited (since our team handles the editorial process), but it’s important that it’s not partially written.
We mainly expect to receive unpublished manuscripts. However, we are open to considering books that are self-published, so long as the writer is open to unpublishing the original work and undergoing the editorial process with our team.
Writer Eligibility
You do not need an agent to submit your work to us. (As an independent publisher, we play by our own rules!)
There is no age requirement for entering this contest. You do not need have prior writing or publishing experience.
Non US-writers are welcome to enter, so long as their book is written in the English language.
For marketing reasons on our end, writers should be comfortable showing their faces on camera. We often ask authors at Lost Island Press to send us photos and video clips.
We look favorably upon writers who want to pursue an author career and publish more books down the line.
Submissions Process
A submissions form will be added to this page once the contest officially opens. In the meantime, please prepare the following:
1. Full Manuscript
Ensure that it meets our Book Eligibility criteria outlined above.
2. One-sentence description of the premise (story pitch)
Consider using Mel Torrefranca’s premise description formula:
When [the protagonist] [is affected by the inciting incident], they must [take action] to [achieve their goal]—but if [they fail, they will suffer the risk of failure].
Example: When a telepathic teen girl reads the mind of a serial killer, she must secretly record his crimes to gather concrete evidence for the police—but if he catches her, countless more innocent lives will be lost.
3. Three- to five-paragraph summary of your book
This is essentially a mini synopsis and should be written in 3rd person, present-tense. Please spoil the key plot points, including the ending. We expect it to be dry and informational, so don’t worry about making the story sound exciting.
Manuscript Formatting Requirements
If you’d like to get ahead on formatting your manuscript file, please refer to our formatting requirements below.
Page Setup
- Word document (.doc or .docx)
- Standard letter size (8.5 x 11 inches)
- 1-inch page margins on all sides
- Times New Roman, 12-pt font
- Set line spacing to 1.5x
- Add “Last Name / Working Book Title / Page Number” to the top right header of every page
- In the text body, indent each new line by 0.5 inches
Chapter Dividers
Please add a page break before each new chapter.
Ensure your chapter number is in ALL CAPS, centered a few lines down.
Optionally, you can add a chapter title, such as the POV character’s name or a creative phrase. Please put this on the next line after the chapter number, centered an in ALL CAPS as well.
Examples of acceptable formats:
CHAPTER 1
FALL AFTER FALL
CHAPTER 1
VICTOR
CHAPTER 1
Cover Page
Please include a title page (the first page) with the following:
Top left corner: Your legal name, email, phone number (include country code), and mailing address (include country)
Mel Torrefranca
+1 (000) 000-0000
1846 E Innovation Park Dr STE 100
Oro Valley, AZ 85755, United States
Centered in the middle: Your working book title and pen name (ALL CAPS)
WORKING BOOK TITLE
MEL TORREFRANCA
Selection Process
Mel Torrefranca, founder of Lost Island Press, will serve as the lead judge.
Key members of our team will also be involved, including editor Katie Flanagan.
Our past contest winners will be joining as judges as well:
- Shira Behore, author of My Brother’s Spare
- Amanda Michelle Brown, author of The Memory Jumper
- Julia Rosemary Turk, author of the Lone Player series
You’ll be notified of your selection/rejection status by March 31, 2026. If you are rejected, you will likely hear back even sooner.
Winner Perks
If you win our 2025 Lost Island Writing Contest…
You’ll receive a full publishing deal—single, two-book, or three-book—depending on the series status of your submission. Our team will give you time to ask questions and review the contract before signing.
Upon signing with us, we’ll invest in your project, taking on all associated production costs (editing, cover design, formatting, etc.). You won’t pay us a dime, and we won’t make money until you make money.
Our team will collaborate with you to get your book publication-ready, which includes a thorough editorial process. Based on our current timeline, your book will likely be published in 2027 to ensure plenty of time for preparation and pre-launch marketing. Publishing high quality work takes time.
While we don’t offer advances against royalties, you’ll accrue royalties beginning on launch day. We’ll pay you 50% of net book profit through monthly payments. You’ll receive a complimentary finished copy and will be able to order more personal copies at wholesale price (usually 3-4 times cheaper than retail) at any time.
Most importantly, you’ll have direct access to pitch future projects—no need to re-enter a contest or wait for open submissions. Once you’re in, you already have your foot in the door.
Our goal is to build a strong brand as a publisher, that way all our authors benefit from shared marketing efforts.
Before submitting, we encourage you to review our publishing model.
Submit Your Manuscript
Submissions form coming soon.