Deadline: 14th September 2024
The Perfect Deadline!
New Voices First Novel Competition is designed to encourage and support writers who are just starting out. We are offering a start-up package to the most promising synopsis and first page.
Winning prize: A Start-Up mentoring package worth up to £750.00*
*A mini-masterclass covering everything you need to know about writing a novel. It includes a manuscript appraisal, guidelines, a development strategy, a consultation and an agreed deadline for a year later.
More information about entry requirements and how to apply here.
New Voices is the perfect opportunity to knock your first fifty pages into shape and to test out the competition!
Previous Feedback
Your input came at just the right moment in the development of the novel and your advice on character and plot development was very helpful as I groped my way through the story for the very first time. You understood what I was trying to achieve and guided me towards a more structured approach.
Kathryn Ensall
(The Body Con. Shortlisted for Northern Writers Award 2020.)
“I loved the competition. Hitting the deadline gave me something to aim for. Actually winning was a massive boost. The prize gave me the confidence to continue writing (and still does to this day), because it showed me strengths and weaknesses. I am much more aware now of how to keep the story ticking over.”
Gibril Kerefah
Pointers for Success
- Is your title evocative? (Does it do more than sum up your novel idea?)
- Can you sum up your novel idea in a single page? (Sketch it out, then trim it down.)
- Does it have a backbone? (A plot.)
- Make sure you include it in the synopsis.
- Have you chosen the best opening for your novel idea?
- Does your first page plunge us into the world of your novel straight away? (Whether it is a dilemma, an atmosphere, or a glimpse into a character’s point of view.)
Previous Winners
New Voices First Novel Competition supports up and coming talent at a key stage. We are proud to have worked with a a range of writers, across genres. Take a look at our roll call of previous winners and picture yourself here!
2022. Rachel Newsome. This Little Light. An allegorical novel pushing at the boundaries between fiction and memoir.
2021. Kim Squirrell. Shale. A literary historical novel set in Regency England and the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts.
2020. Kathryn Ensall. The Body Con, a coming of age novel set in the Pennines.
2019. Gibril Kerefah. PurpleBlack, a West African inspired fantasy.
2018. Tim Cooke. The Town, an urban literary novel.
2017. Jacqui Seddon, Worthless Little Punks, a YA novel.
An excellent opportunity to kick start your novel and gain some valuable input and support.