Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award 2022

The BPA First Novel Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre.

 

We are excited to announce the winners of the BPA First Novel Award 2022. Our judges this year were literary agents Rowan Lawton and Marina de Pass of The Soho Agency and author Jo Bloom.

More than 950 entries were received from around the world with literary and commercial fiction, including crime, historical and speculative fiction, all represented. The standard of entries was higher than ever and it was difficult to land on a longlist of 23 titles and a shortlist of six.

Congratulations to our winners and to all those listed. We are delighted for this year’s winner, Tracy Coker, who captivated us all with her story of the reunion between three very different friends from Sierra Leone and who is now represented by Rowan Lawton. The judges were also deeply moved by Karen Pierce’s gritty coming-of-age novel, set in 60s Soho, and Tom Powell‘s original novel about the ‘son of Zeus’.

Many thanks to all who entered. We found the reading process incredibly enjoyable, as well as challenging, and wish you all the best with your writing.

Submissions for the 2023 First Novel Award will open in January.

winners 22 bpa site b&w

WINNER

Tracy Coker

White Yams

Women’s Fiction

£1,000 cash prize and introduction to agents at The Soho Agency

Tracy Coker, winner of BPA First Novel Award 2022

Funmilayo, Dalanda, and Jeneba were best friends in primary school in Sierra Leone but moved on to various parts of the world – and very different lifestyles. About to turn 40, they plan a Christmas reunion.

 

Judges’ Comments

Rowan: I absolutely loved White Yams – Tracy is a hugely talented writer who introduces us to three incredibly memorable women at a pivotal moment in their lives, and I can’t wait to read more about them.

Jo: I raced through this absorbing, well-written story about three friends originally from Sierra Leone. Tracy also deftly weaves through some powerful cultural themes that I’m still thinking about weeks on…

Marina: I adore the set up of White Yams – with three distinct female voices, drawn together in friendship, but with different challenges to face. I felt fully involved by the three narratives and taken in by Tracy’s confident writing style.

 

 

Tracy Olabisi Coker is a Sierra Leonean-American writer who believes that the written word is an art that can open minds and transform hearts. She has published short stories in Rigorous literary journal,

Short Fiction Break online literary magazine, and Pede Hollist’s Literature Blog. White Yams is her first novel. She lives in Virginia, USA with her husband and three children.

Tracy is represented by Rowan Lawton at The Soho Agency.

Twitter: @_olabisiwrites_

RUNNER UP

Karen Pierce

Petal

Historical Coming-of-Age

Introduction to agents at The Soho Agency and manuscript review

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Soho, 1962. It’s Petal O’Rourke’s eighteen birthday and she prays to Our Lady for three things: For Da to come home and not be dead or in prison. Babbie to be cured. To be ‘Someone’.

 

Judges’ Comments

Jo: Engrossing and atmospheric. Karen’s keen eye for detail immerses us in the grubby, intoxicating underbelly of sixties Soho.

Marina: A vivid, immersive portrait of 60s London, told from the perspective of a loveable central character, Petal. I was fully immersed in the vivid description and rooted for Petal as she started her journey to adulthood…

Rowan: I really enjoyed this exploration of Soho’s underworld. It felt like reading Peaky Blinders in the 60s!

 

 

Karen has an MA from University of Chichester (Distinction) in Creative Writing, and has worked in both TV and print journalism, and also as a nutritionist. She is dyslexic and couldn’t read till she was eleven. She was runner up in the Jericho Writers Self Edit Bursary. Karen lives in Brighton with her three children and unruly hound. She is currently working on the second book in the Petal series and a TV sit com.

 

Karen is represented by Katie Fulford at Bell Lomax Moreton Agency.

Twitter: @kpiercewrites

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Tom Powell

My Father, the God

Literary

Introduction to agents at The Soho Agency

tom

Alan, son of Zeus, lives with his dad in a council flat in Lewisham and waits to come into his demigod powers. But the powers aren’t coming – and when the man he thought was Zeus passes, Alan has to face the truth alone.

 

Judges’ Comments

Marina: An inventive and unconventional story, with an immersive writing style.

Rowan: Tom’s writing is really strong here and this novel turns on an original and engaging concept.

Jo: Tom’s prose feels fresh and original. I was immediately drawn into the mind of a troubled young man.

 

 

Tom is a playwright and screenwriter whose work has toured the UK and been broadcast on BBC Radio 4X and BBC One. A graduate of BBC Studios Writers Academy, Tom has written for EastEnders and Holby City. A filmed production of his play The Silence and the Noise will be released by Pentabus/Rural Media in Autumn 2022. An early draft of his novella, Wednesday Morning, was longlisted for the BPA First Novel Award 2021 and was a winner of the BPA Pitch Prize 2021. My Father, the God is his first full novel.

Twitter: @_TPowell_

SHORTLISTED TITLES

Fiona Dewar

Life’s Too Short

Speculative

FIONA DEWAR AUTHOR PHOTO

Susie and Matthew meet in a bathtub, fall in love and then face ‘the Choice’: parenthood or a life-extending treatment. Drawn towards opposite Choices, can their relationship survive?

 

Judges’ Comments

Rowan: A strong and original concept.

Marina: This was an interesting idea to explore in fiction. Concept-led, with a couple at the centre who have a great rapport.

Jo: Life’s Too Short is thought-provoking and packed with ideas.

 

 

Fiona is a Scot living in London. She’s a practicing barrister and alum of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course. Life’s Too Short is her first novel.

SHORTLISTED TITLES

Jessica Douglas

On My Mind

Psychological Suspense

J Douglas Portrait

An average-in-all-ways university student becomes increasingly obsessed with the charismatic mother of the child she babysits and goes to extreme lengths to immerse herself in their family life.

 

Judges’ Comments

Jo: A sleek, engaging (and ever so slightly tense!) read.

Rowan: I found this thriller very compelling and atmospheric.

Marina: I loved the opening of this one and Jessica has a wonderfully assured writing style. I whipped through the chapters.

 

 

Jessica Douglas lives in London with her partner and cat, and is a Digital Content Lead for a multinational retailer. She was longlisted for the 2021 London Writers Award, and was a recipient of Cornerstones’ 2021 Arts Council England ELEVATE literary mentoring scheme and of Greene & Heaton’s 2021 Greene Door Project. She is originally from New Zealand and holds an MA in History of Art.

SHORTLISTED TITLES

Kate Pettigrew

Taking on the King

Historical

Kate

14th century England: a woman fighting for a forbidden love; a King determined to stop her; a baron torn between them. Three lives clash amid a civil war where there can be only one winner.

 

Judges’ Comments

Marina: I enjoyed the focus on a lesser-known female historical figure. It has a strong opening, throwing the reader straight into the drama.

Jo: An interesting snippet of unknown history is put under the spotlight in this smoothly told story. The opening was strong.

Rowan: I thought this novel had a great opening and it reveals an intriguing untold story from history.

 

 

Kate is a charity worker and writer, working for many years in Fleet Street, including ten years as a sub-editor on The Times. She has a love of history, especially uncovering lost and little-known stories of women.

Twitter: @wotkatydid1

LONGLISTED TITLES AND AUTHORS

The Angel and the Apothecary

The Dead Phone

Eliza’s Corner

Emotional Transport

The Fall of Bellweather

Felicity Braithwaite is Done with Being Nice

The Gibbous

The Husband Whisperer

I Do Not Know What She Sees

In a Quare Country

The Most Beautiful Woman in the World

The Mouth That Swallows

Paper Boats in Darjeeling

The Seafarer and the Storm

Something of a Hoax

Take this Light

Traps

Kate Rose

Jordan Coriza

June O’Sullivan

Ruth Newton

Chad Broughman

Michelle Pilkington

Hutch Hill

Caroline Madden

Lo Carter

Maurice Carlin

Nancy Crane

Amy Twigg

Sangya Pundir

Florence Prior-Evans

Rosanna Oram

Kitty Donnelly

Anna Orhanen

JUDGES

____________

Jo Bloom

_______

Author of Permission; Ridley Road

Jo Bloom’s debut novel, Ridley Road, was published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 2014. She was inspired to write her novel after hearing about the 62 Group, the group of Jewish men who took to the streets to fight fascism in the early sixties in London. Ridley Road was adapted into a four-part thriller for BBC One and aired in October 2021. Jo’s latest novel, Permission, will be published in 2022.

Rowan Lawton

_______

Literary agent at The Soho Agency

Rowan joined The Soho Agency in 2019 after two decades in the industry, predominantly in agenting. Her internationally bestselling authors have been awarded and shortlisted for literary prizes including the British Book Awards, the CWA Daggers, the Irish Book Awards, the Wales Book of the Year, Romantic Novel of the Year and the BBC National Short Story Award. She has also been involved in the judging of a number of fiction prizes including Richard & Judy ‘Search for a Bestseller’ and the Bristol Short Story Prize. Rowan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2012. Rowan’s taste ranges from the most commercial well-written genre fiction and domestic suspense to accessible literary and reading group novels, as well as narrative non-fiction (often, but not always, written by women) – particularly moving and inspiring memoirs.

Marina de Pass

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Marina has been at The Soho Agency for over five years, after previously working in editorial at Little, Brown and HarperCollins. She adores great storytelling in all its forms and is building a list of upmarket commercial, reading group and accessible literary fiction – and is actively looking to take on clients in this area. Marina especially loves launching debuts – the last three she has sold have been bought by UK publishers as lead titles – and enjoys working editorially with her authors. She also works with #1 Sunday Times & New York Times bestseller Sophie Kinsella, Sunday Times bestseller Veronica Henry, and the award-winning writer and cook Nigel Slater, among others. Marina is a trained copyeditor and proofreader and, in addition to her agenting work, she has a rare insight into the publishing industry as a published author and graduate of the Faber Academy’s creative writing course.

What we’re looking for:

• any genre with the exception of children’s fiction and non-fiction. YA is permitted provided there is an adult crossover.
• a strong voice.
• an original and unforgettable story that grips the reader.
• an attention grabbing first paragraph.

Eligibility
_______

  • Authors must be over 18 years old at the time of entry.
  • The Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors of fiction at the closing date of May 31.
  • Clients of BPA who have had full manuscript reviews are not eligible to enter however those who have been to a retreat or workshop are still eligible providing they did not follow up with an editorial service.
  • Writers must advise the organisers if they accept representation during the judging period or win any other prizes. They may still be eligible for the Award.
  • Self-published authors are accepted. Entrants who have had other types of books published such as non fiction, memoir or poetry are also eligible.
  • The novel must be completed or close to completion at the closing date of May 31.
  • Long-listed or short-listed entries in other competitions are eligible.
  • Entrants may submit more than one novel but as separate entries.
  • Entries must be written in English.
  • Entries can only be submitted electronically via this site and payment made via PayPal.
  • Entrants may withdraw entries but fees cannot be refunded.
  • Judges’ decision is final. Judges are unable to comment on individual entries.
  • Copyright remains with the author, however we reserve the right to publish extracts of up to 300 words on our website as well as the opening lines on twitter.
  • By submitting their manuscript, entrants are agreeing for BPA to keep a record of their e-mail address for marketing purposes only. This information will not be shared with third parties. Entrants can unsubscribe from all communication at any time.

How to submit
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  • Please enter through the link on our website
  • Download your opening chapter or chapters up to 5000 words plus a 300 word synopsis and a covering letter with some information about yourself/career as a writer.
  • Please ensure that the file name is the title of the story and ensure that this is also in the subject line of your email.
  • Entries must be in either a doc., docx, or pdf. No other formats will be accepted.
  • Entries must be double spaced in a clear font (Times New Roman or similar) and pages numbered.
  • The novel’s title must be on every page but your name should not appear anywhere on the story.
  • The covering letter should include the following details: your name, the title of your novel, your email address and telephone number, a brief CV or publication history and the genre of your novel if applicable (e.g. uplit, romance, contemporary, historical, psychological thriller, fantasy, crime, women’s, literary)
  • Go to the Shop page and click on the paypal button to pay the fee.
  • If payment is made using a different name, it is essential you include that name in the email you send with the story.

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED.

THANK YOU TO ALL WRITERS FOR THEIR SUBMISSIONS

Letty Butler
2022 Pitch Prize Winner
The 1-2-1 session with Hattie Grünewald as a result of winning the BPA Pitch Prize was invaluable. She offered real insight into the pitching process, as well as astute, detailed feedback on my synopsis. The whole experience gave me the confidence to submit my work to twelve other agents, eight of whom requested the full manuscript. I am delighted to say I have signed with Alexander Cochrane at C&W Agency. I honestly don’t think I would have had the courage without the accolade and experience under my belt. Thank you BPA!
Natalie Bayley
2021 First Novel Award Shortlist
Thank you all so much for all your help and encouragement over the years. My novel, Bone Rites, first longlisted by you in 2019 then shortlisted in 2021, is going to be published by Aurora Metro books this October, after winning the 2022 Virginia Prize for Fiction. It’s been a long road, but from the moment you chose one of my sentences as one of your #BPAfavouritelines, I’ve had faith in this book!
Karen Pierce
2022 First Novel Award Runner-Up
I’m delighted to announce that I’m now represented by Katie Fulford of Bell Lomax. She is my dream agent. Also thank you so much for the manuscript review from BPA editor Frances Merivale. It was amazing – detailed and well thought out.
Thank you so much for the kickstart and for the support from Emma and the BPA team.
Tracy Coker
First Novel Award 2022 Winner
I submitted my entry to the BPA First Novel Award in February, thinking…why not? Never did I imagine that seven months later, I would receive a call from Emma Haynes, telling me that I was the winner. I’m thrilled that the judges enjoyed my story, and I’m super excited to be represented by Rowan Lawton at The Soho Agency. Thank you BPA for giving unpublished writers like me (who might have been querying agents unsuccessfully for years), this incredible opportunity to expose our work. Winning this contest has brought me one step closer to my dream of having my novel, White Yams published internationally. I couldn’t be more grateful!
Amy Twigg
2021 Pitch Prize Winner

“Entering the Pitch Prize has proven to be a wonderful experience. Not only did winning it give me a much-needed morale boost, but Blue Pencil Agency’s continued support and an introduction by Emma Haynes eventually led to me signing with my wonderful agent, Charlotte Seymour of Johnson & Alcock. To anyone unsure of entering: bet on yourself and your writing, and know that you will be in a safe pair of hands with the Blue Pencil Agency team.”

Amy was a Pitch Prize 2021 winner with the opening of her novel, The Mouth That Swallows. She was also longlisted for the First Novel Award 2022.
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Penny Y

Thank you so much for your help again, it’s lovely to feel supported in this process & I’m sure having the BPA pitch prize on my cv helped me get these agent offers so thank you for that as well!

Julia Kelly
2021 First Novel Award winner
I remember clearly wondering whether to send my manuscript to the Blue Pencil Award, and if it was ready. I am so glad I did – seeing my name on first the longlist, and then the short list was an incredible feeling. It was encouragement and validation, however subjective we all know it is, for something undertaken in isolation and often uncertainty. Winning it was a game-changer for me. The team at BPA seemed almost as excited as I was! Hellie Ogden offered me representation and I am now working with her as my wonderful agent on what I hope will become my debut novel. It is quite literally a dream come true.
Julia Kelly was the winner of the 2021 Award for The Lost Child. She is represented by Hellie Ogden.
Caroline Georgieff

Pitch Prize Longlist 2020

I love the BPA competitions for the following reasons:

1. The BPA team’s creative spirit and enthusiasm – sharing success stories that motivate and inspire writers on their journey.

2. The competitions are open to writers worldwide.

3. The competition includes the cover letter in the ‘submission package’. (Most competitions don’t include this but I enjoy the opportunity to pitch the novel and include comparisons and why the writer feels passionate about their story.)

4. The professional and personal response to queries.

Roisin Lanigan
2020 First Novel Award Winner

I entered the BPA First Novel Award having never properly shared my fiction with anyone before, and not really knowing what to expect. It was without a doubt the best twenty quid I’ve ever spent. 

First making the longlist — and then the shortlist! — was such a huge vote of confidence in my writing style and the story I was trying to tell with Brotherhood and to actually win was unreal. It helped not just in cementing my confidence in my writing (and silencing my imposter syndrome) but it also inspired me to keep working on my manuscript and to stick to deadlines when it came to editing. 

Winning during the pandemic made things feel even more unreal, but even though I couldn’t meet the Blue Pencil team in person, I felt incredibly supported and involved and was then able to meet one of the judges, FBA’s Carrie Plitt, over Zoom to discuss my manuscript. Carrie’s continued guidance and expertise (and the depth of feedback of the rest of the BPA First Novel Award judging team) was really invaluable and helped me to see my work through a new perspective, whilst supporting me to get it ready for publication. 

I am over the moon to now be signed to FBA with Carrie, and I cannot wait to see where things go next. Without sounding too cliche, it really does feel like a new beginning in terms of publishing Brotherhood and in my fiction career, and I am so pleased I decided to enter last year. It really has been an incredible experience from start to finish. 

Roisin Lanigan was the winner of the 2020 Award for Brotherhood. She is represented by Carrie Plitt

Carole Hailey

I am emailing to thank you so much for taking a chance on me and telling Marina de Pass about my novel, The Silence Project. As of this week, Marina is now my agent and I am thrilled!

Because the novel was shortlisted for The Bridport Prize and was my London Library Emerging Writer submission, it was also seen by agents at A.M.Heath, but Marina has given me such brilliant feedback and encouragement that I have no doubt that she will be my ideal agent.

It’s all because of you. And the novel didn’t even make the longlist for the BPA First Novel Award, so doubly thank you for making the introduction.

Katy McNair
First Novel Award Winner 2019

“I was two months into maternity leave with my second child when I decided to enter the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award. Maybe that’s not the obvious time to write a novel, but the competition offered me everything I needed to make that £20 investment in my writing; a deadline to work towards, an achievable word count, and the chance to have my work read by an agent with a fantastic reputation. Making the longlist was a huge vote of confidence. It inspired me to work harder. To actually win felt unreal. Before I knew it, I was taking my baby boy on a trip to London to meet the lovely BPA team. Nelle Andrews not only offered me valuable feedback but signed me as a client, which is truly a dream come true. Now, I’m excited to be working towards finishing the manuscript with a view to submitting it to publishers. I’ll always be grateful that the award prompted me to take that important first step.”

 

Katy McNair was the winner of the 2019 Award for her speculative novel The Price of Blood. She is represented by Nelle Andrew
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Thecla Condon
2019 Runner Up
“I entered my novel without expectation, and I am so grateful the (lovely) people at Blue Pencil Agency and the judges saw its potential. Their investment in my characters was an absolute highlight. The whole experience, from the tweeted lines to the long and short-listings has given me renewed energy and ambition for my novel, and now there are people waiting to read it (this competition gets noticed). The editorial review is a really valuable prize for any writer, and a great personal deadline. Whatever stage your work is at – polished to perfection or diamond-rough – do give it a go!”
Thecla Condon was runner up in the 2019 Award. She is working on her novel Tell All the Bees and will have the manuscript reviewed by one of our editors later next year.

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Neil Daws
Highly Commended 2019

“Entering the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award has taken my writing life to a higher level. Self-doubt had stopped me before but just submitting something I thought had potential gave me satisfaction. The excitement of reaching the long list was only tempered by the discipline of the next deadline but then surpassed by the thrill of seeing my name on the short list and finally achieving Highly Commended. I was astounded to hear that agent Nelle Andrew wanted to meet me and elated to then sign with Nelle and begin editing my debut novel. Without the fantastic opportunity the Award offered I would not be on course to achieve my dream so everyone at Blue Pencil has my gratitude.”

Neil was Highly Commended and shortlisted for the 2019 Award. He is represented by Nelle Andrew of Peters, Fraser + Dunlop

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Gill Thompson
2017 Shortlist

I entered the Blue Pencil First Novel Award in 2017. The deadline provided me with much needed motivation, and the thrill of being placed was a great morale- booster. It gave me the confidence to submit my work to an agent and now that my novel The Oceans Between Us published by Headline, I realise how much gratitude I owe the agency for recognising its potential.

Sue Barsby
2018 Shortlist
“Hayley and I have been working on rewrites, especially around plot development. Her feedback has been so helpful in shaping the plot and developing the undercurrents that weren’t quite right – I’m really hoping I can do it all justice. It’s a massive step forward beyond where I’d ever got to before with my writing so I’m really grateful for the opportunity that came from the shortlisting!”
Sue Barsby was shortlisted in 2018. She is working on her novel Living in Twilight with Hayley Steed from Madeleine Milburn Agency.
Carolyn Kirby
2017 winner

“Winning the Award marked a real breakthrough in my writing life. The slightly overwhelming news that I had won first prize (I found myself shaking uncontrollably!) was followed by an exciting week involving a London photo-shoot with the judges, and the sight of my face in The Bookseller. The lovely Blue Pencil Agency team gave me the chance to meet the judges and to talk about my novel in some depth with agent Eve White. This was a fantastic opportunity and one that is rare in the writing prize world. Winning the Blue Pencil Agency competition gave me confidence that my novel is a good one and this, I would say, is the most valuable reward an aspiring writer can get.” February 2018.

Carolyn’s debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns is out now. Her second novel When We Fall is coming in May 2020. She is represented by agent Andrew Lownie.

Jules Lampshire
2018 winner

“Unless I ever buy a winning lottery ticket the entry fee to the Blue Pencil First Novel Award will be the best investment of £20 I’ll ever make. Each stage has given me so much: the energy of a deadline to complete the first draft; the confidence boost of reaching the long list; the heady excitement of the short list announcement (coinciding with my birthday!) And now the thrilling opportunity to discuss my work with Madeleine Milburn and take the first steps towards launching my writing career. My heartfelt thanks to Sara, Emma, Fiona and Maddy.” December 2018

Jules is represented by Madeline Milburn. She is working on her debut novel My Poor Deluded Girl.