A new writing competition has been launched to find the next big thing in childrenās literature by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with Bloomsbury.
Unpublished authors who enter will be in with a chance of winning a publishing contract with Bloomsbury. The first prize will include an advance of Ā£5,000 and an exclusive print run of the winning book.
A panel of judges – National Literacy Trust Director Jonathan Douglas, author and critic Nicolette Jones, Editorial Director from Bloomsbury Childrenās Books, and childrenās author Katherine Rundell – will select the winner.
Katherine Rundell won the 2014 Blue Peter Book Award for Rooftoppers which will be published this year by Bloomsbury. Talking about the competition she says, āI’m thrilled to be part of the National Literacy Trust and Bloomsburyās New Childrenās Author Prize ā with every great new book, there’s a new chance to ensnare a child into a love of reading and into the infinities that books and stories offer.ā
To enter, authors should submit a 20,000ā40,000 word childrenās 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. Entries cost Ā£15 until 30 June and Ā£30 after until the competition closes on 30 September. Stories should be emailed to: [email protected]. All proceeds from the competition go towards the National Literacy Trustās work in tackling low literacy levels in deprived communities across the UK.
For more information head over to www.literacytrust.org.uk/authorprize