Writing reality TV
This past Sunday, Book Television started airing its reality series, 3-Day Novel Contest. Indigo and Book Television teamed up to produce the eight-part program, which follows 12 contestants as they live and write for the annual writing contest in Edmonton’s largest Chapters over the Labour Day long weekend. Kim Clarke Champniss acts as host, while judges Todd Babiak, Minister Faust, and Jenn Farrell run the 12 contestants through challenges such as a spelling bee.
None of the reality contestants won the official 3-Day Novel Contest (that honour went to Brendan McLeod for The Convictions of Leonard McKinley) but the reality series winner will have an excerpt published in Westword, an Alberta writing magazine, and the author will receive a week-long mentorship at a writers’ retreat.
The 3-Day Novel Contest began in 1977 and occurs every Labour Day weekend. Participants must produce a new novel in 72 hours. McLeod’s will be published under the 3-Day Books imprint and distributed by Arsenal Pulp Press through Jaguar Book Group in Canada and Consortium Book Sales and Distribution in the U.S. in early August.
Check out the series trailer below:
