New Talent Award 2013

The New Talent Award aims to cast the spotlight on the authors of tomorrow and is open to all writers who have not yet had a novel commercially published.

To be considered for the Award please enter an opening chapter to a novel which must fall within the wide genre of romantic fiction. The entries will be judged by a panel of professional authors and special guest judge Sammia Rafique, editor at Avon, Harper Collins. The winners will be announced at the Festival of Romance Ball and Awards on Saturday 9th November 2013 in Bedford.

The New Talent Award ran for the first time in 2011 and judged by industry judges Donna Condon, senior commissioning editor at Piatkus, Little, Brown, and Jane Judd of the Jane Judd Literary Agency. The winner was Henriette Gyland who subsequently went on to secure a publishing contract for Up Close published by Choc Lit in December 2012. Runners-up were Rosemary Dun, Sarah Callejo and Debbie White. In 2012 the New Talent Award winner was Lesley Eames and runners-up were Sue Jackson and Cathy Lennon, judged by Diane Banks of Diane Banks Associates and Georgina Hawtrey-Woore, commissioning editor at Cornerstone, Random House.

Award judge and literary agent Jane Judd presents winner Henriette Gyland with her trophy at the Festival of Romance 2011.

How to enter

To enter the New Talent Award you must be a writer who is not yet commercially published.

1. Email your entry, an opening chapter to a romantic novel, to a maximum of 3,500 words as an rtf or doc file (not docx please) to [email protected] along with your full name, address and telephone number.

2. Pay the entry fee (£4) online here.

The closing date is midnight on 30th September 2013.

FAQs

I am self-published. Can I still enter?
Yes, the Award is open to all writers who have not yet had a novel commercially published.

My novel is a crime novel but it has romantic elements. Can I still enter?
As long as your novel falls within the wide genre of romantic fiction it will still be eligible.

Do I have to attend the Festival of Romance to enter?
No, there is no requirement to attend the Festival. However, the winners will be announced at the Festival of Romance Ball and Awards on Saturday 9th November and shortlisted writers are invited to an exclusive drinks reception earlier the same evening.

What is the entry fee for?
There is a small entry fee of £4 per entry. This funds award presentation gifts to the winner and runners-up and a VIP drinks reception to which all the shortlisted writers are invited.

Can I enter the same novel for the New Talent Award and also the Piatkus Entice Competition?
Yes.

Can I get feedback on my entry?
Yes. If you would like a critique report on your chapter, please pay the critique report fee (£21) along with your entry fee. Critique reports will be prepared by professional authors and editors and sent to you by 31 December 2013 at the latest.

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