2018 First Novel Award Longlist

Emma Haynes

Emma Haynes

14 September 2018

Bluepencilagency announces the First Novel Award Longlist. Our 2018 judges are Literary Agent of the Year, Madeleine Milburn and author of The Maid’s Room, Fiona Mitchell. Prizes for the winner and runner up include an introduction to Madeleine as well as £1,250 in cash and an editorial report. The Award is given to unpublished writers without representation.

We received entries from writers throughout the UK and from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada as well as Europe. Entries were across all genres including YA, dystopian, fantasy, literary fiction, historical, psychological, crime and comedy. The standard was very high and the judges decided to announce a longlist of 25 titles to recognise the talent and breadth of entries. The shortlist will be announced within the next month. Those writers shortlisted will be asked to submit an additional 15,000 words to their original 5,000 word opening extract.

The cast of this year’s longlisted novels come from all walks of life. They include a sex doll,a colony of women designed to breed, a collector of good and evil thoughts in the underground, a hit man, stranded prisoners on an island, a survivalist cult, vampires and slaves.

The names of writers on the longlist will be announced along with the winners on November 31. In the meantime, many congratulations to the authors of the following 25 exceptional titles:

A TON OF FEATHERS

BREEDER

COLLISION

DARK WATER

DOLL

DR WOLFE’S GAZELLE

FEMALE FIREFLIES

IN PLAIN SIGHT

JUNK FOLK

LEAVE ME SLOW

LITTLE COMRADE

LIVING IN TWILIGHT

MUTE

MY POOR DELUDED GIRL

NOBODY MOVE

STATISTICS OF COLOUR

THE ECHOES

THE MASTER THIEF

THE MIDNIGHT ORDER

THE SILENT GERMAN

THE TIDE RISES, THE TIDE FALLS

THE WEB WE WEAVE

WAHALA

WHAT HOME IS

YESTERDAY UPON THE STAIR

 

 

 

 

Emma Haynes

Emma Haynes

Emma is responsible for BPA’s bespoke programme of literary events and retreats as well as managing the First Novel Award and submissions to literary agents. With a background in communications and special events she has an eye for detail and a desire to give writers the best possible experience in an imaginative programme of events. Her retreats at Asthall Manor, the childhood home of the Mitford sisters with guest tutors including Tessa Hadley and Claire Fuller have set a new benchmark in literary experiences. The First Novel Award now in its third year has proved remarkably successful for writers with five of the 2018 shortlist gaining agent representation. With an up to date knowledge of what literary agents are looking for, Emma offers a reading service and advises writers with a polished manuscript which agents to approach and how best to ensure your work gets read. She also contacts agents on behalf of writers where there is a potential match.

0 Comments

Categories

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

More than 10,000 subscribers

Your information is never shared with third parties

THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING!