As part of its 120th birthday celebrations, Curtis Brown – in partnership with Curtis Brown Creative – has launched the inaugural Curtis Brown First Novel Prize, Their mission to find the exciting new voices of the future.
Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring and A Single Thread, will chair the judging panel formed of Curtis Brown agents and the Curtis Brown Creative team.
What you get: the author of the winning novel will be offered representation by Curtis Brown plus a prize of £3,000, while the first runner-up will receive a place on a three-month novel-writing course at Curtis Brown Creative, and a mentoring session with one of the Curtis Brown literary agent team. A further four shortlisted entrants will be offered a place on a six-week online course with Curtis Brown Creative and a mentoring session with one of the Curtis Brown literary agent team.
The prize is now open for entries.
How to apply: if you’d like to enter, send the opening (up to) 10,000 words of your novel (including any prologue) and a one-page synopsis of up to 400 words. Novels do not need to be finished before you enter the competition, but you should be able to summarise in your synopsis the main plot of your work-in-progress.
Who can apply: Anyone can enter so long as they’re 18 or over, writing a novel in English and resident in the UK or Ireland. Entrants should not currently be represented by a literary agent, and novels must be unpublished. If you have self-published your work, you are very welcome to enter! The novel can be in any genre but must be aimed at adults rather than young adults or children. Full terms and conditions are posted here.
Find out more and read the full guidelines on the website.
Deadline: 1 August 2019
Source: direct contact
I would like to enter the novel competition but am not clear about the eligibility of self-published work. I have two novels in print and a third in the press. I would like to submit part of one of them. Would it be eligible to enter. Would be grateful for your opinion. Thank you.
Hi Roger,
We’d recommend getting in touch with Curtis Brown directly with this query as we wouldn’t want to give you inaccurate advice. If you do submit, good luck with it.
Best,
Kimberley