'Cornerstones, the UK's leading literary consultancy, is coming together with a panel of top UK agents to hunt for debut writers with the 'Wow' factor.
Agents will choose two winners in July 2013 from the shortlist to receive a critique from Cornerstones (retail value £400 and upwards) including a brainstorm session with the editor afterwards, potentially leading to agent representation.
Entry fee is £10 and is open to writers over 18yrs in the UK and abroad. Manuscripts must be complete, and the author unagented; self-published writers may also enter. The initial submission will be the first five pages and synopsis; a longlist of twenty writers will then submit the next 20 pages, from which a shortlist of six writers will have their full MS read. One adult and one children's writer will then be selected for the prize.'
Before entering you do need to have a first draft ready of the manuscript. The turnaround is quick with a longlist selected by end of April. Full details are here, but do carefully read the Terms and Conditions here. Particularly the clause in respect of being represented by one of the agents from the judging panel - if published via this route then you will incur Cornerstone's 10% success fee (+VAT) of the initial worldwide advance you receive, with no ongoing royalities.
Let me know if you have a go at this one. Good Luck!
This sounds a great competition - I just need to go and write that novel now!
ReplyDeleteEr you'll have to write it quickly Wendy - deadline is 28 March!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I'd be happy with the t&cs but as there's no chance I'll have the next novel finished in time, I won't have to worry about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good habit to always carefully read the T&Cs for comps, as you may not always be happy with them. I guess this is the agency's usual terms and you have to accept if you want to enter.
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