Enter the New Children's Author Prize 2015 and you could win a publishing contract with Bloomsbury.
In partnership with Bloomsbury Children's Books, the National Literacy Trust wants to find talented new authors of children’s fiction.
They are inviting members of the public to submit their stories for eight to 12-year-olds to be in with a chance of winning a publishing contract with Bloomsbury, including advance payment of £5,000 for your work.
Exciting, engaging and inspiring literature and books is vital to the work of the National Literacy Trust, which is why they have launched this competition with Bloomsbury to help find existing and developing talent for children’s storytelling.
Early rounds of the competition will be judged by their experts, with the winners selected from the shortlist by a panel of judges, including children’s author Katherine Rundell and author and critic Nicolette Jones.
All proceeds from entry fees will help the National Literacy Trust continue their vital work improving literacy across the country. Every entrant will receive exclusive tips on writing for children from Katherine Rundell.
The prizes
First prize:
A publishing contract with Bloomsbury, which includes an advance of £5,000 and a print run of your work
Use of “Winner of the New Children's Author Prize 2015 from Bloomsbury and National Literacy Trust”
A prize ceremony in your honour, with press, authors and publishers in attendance
Shortlisted authors:
Use of “Runner up in the New Children's Author Prize 2015 from Bloomsbury and National Literacy Trust”
Signed book bundles
All shortlisted authors will also be invited to attend the prize ceremony with the opportunity to meet agents, editors, press and others.
How to enter
All entries must be submitted by email, using the official template.
Entrants must be aged 18+, a UK resident and must be previously unpublished.
Entrants must submit a 20-40,000 word children’s story, targeted at children aged 8 to 12, with a 350 word synopsis and a 1,000 word passage highlighted for judging in the early rounds, as per the format of the template.
Pay for your entry by 30 September and submit your entry to author.prize@literacytrust.org.uk by 31 October 2014.
Entries are £30. Additional entries by the same person are £15. All proceeds go to the National Literacy Trust.
For full details of the competition and how to submit, please take a look here.
What a brilliant opportunity!