The Hearts in Ink Award celebrates excellence in traditionally and independently published romance novels and novellas first published in 2025.
If you published a romance in 2025, we invite you to enter.
Eligibility
First copyright date between January 1-December 31,2025
Novel: 50,000-110,000 words
Novella: 10,000-49,999 words
Entry Deadline: May 31,2026
Entries are capped and accepted on a first-come basis.
Entry Fee
$35 for OCRW Members
$45 for Non-Members
Optional: Entrants who volunteer to judge will receive a $10 per-entry credit.
2026 Categories
(All sensuality levels welcome)
- Light Contemporary Romance, set after 1975 (cheerful, uplifting, low-angst romances with a realistic or heartwarming tone)
- Dark Contemporary Romance, set after 1975 (intense, emotional, high-angst romances with an ominous or suspenseful tone)
- Historical Romance, set globally before and through 1975 (romances with past settings)
- Speculative Romance (romances with invented worlds and characters outside reality)
- Romantic Novella (all genres)
Entering is fully online. You’ll be asked to create a quick, free login to access your entry forms and upload your files—no OCRW membership required.
How to Enter
- Complete the Hearts in Ink Rules and Entry Form. Upload your files in both ePub and PDF formats when prompted.
- Optional: Volunteer to judge up to three (3) entries outside your category to receive $10 discount (use HICJUDGE at checkout).
- Submit payment through OCRW payment portal.
- Please send questions to: contests@ocromwriters.org
Your entry is considered complete once payment, required forms, and manuscript files are received.
Entrants are responsible for ensuring their files open and are readable. No ARCs will be accepted.
JUDGING
The author with the highest-scoring title of all the contest entries receives a complimentary 2027 OCRW membership as the TOP PICK WINNER.
Entrants who wish to participate as judges must volunteer to read and score up to three (3) entries outside their category.
Entrants who judge can pay the reduced entry fee. If you use the discount to enter, note that failure to submit scores by the due date may disqualify your entry.
Books are provided to judges by mid-June and completed scores must be submitted by August 31, 2026.
Entrants who volunteer to judge up to three (3) entries will receive a $10 discount off their entry fee. Please use the discount code HICJUDGE during checkout.
RECOGNITION
Category Finalists will be announced at OCRW's September meeting.
Category winners, placements, and the Top Pick Winner will be announced at the Annual OCRW Celebration of Romance in October.
Finalists and Winners receive:
- Digital Certificates
- A Hearts in Ink award image for promotional use
- Top Pick Winner - membership to OCRW for 2027
IMPORTANT
The Contest Officials reserve the right to disqualify an entry for failure to meet eligibility or submission requirements.