A groundbreaking literary competition is set to shake up the publishing world, offering a whopping £75,000 prize to an aspiring writer based on just three pages of their novel, per theguardian.com. The Next Big Story competition, run by online fiction writing school The Novelry, aims to democratise the literary world by encouraging entries from would-be authors “historically overlooked by the publishing industry”.
The competition boasts an impressive judging panel, including actor Emma Roberts, Bridgerton author Julia Quinn and Booker-winning Life of Pi author Yann Martel. Roberts, who co-founded the book club Belletrist, expressed her excitement about the prize, saying, “There’s nothing more euphoric than being immersed in the world of a good book and to get lost in the words of a brilliant author.”
The winner will not only receive the substantial cash prize but also receive a year’s worth of support from The Novelry to develop their idea into a full book. The competition is open to all aspiring writers, including those with limited time or financial means, and those who have been historically overlooked by the publishing industry.
The Novelry founder, Louise Dean, emphasised the need to break down barriers to engagement in fiction writing, saying, “When it comes to writing fiction, the barriers to engagement seem so high. So many self-exclude and find it hard to get the nerve to even try their hand.” The competition aims to change this by rewarding the creativity and impulse of writers.
Entrants from the UK, US, Canada and Australia can submit their entries via The Novelry’s website until July 31. A shortlist will be selected and put to a public vote in September, with the winner announced on October 12.
•Featured image: Judges Yann Martel, Emma Roberts and Julia Quinn/Getty Images
