Blue Pencil Agency announces the First Novel Award 2019 Longlist. Our 2019 judges are literary agent Nelle Andrew and author of The Witchfinder’s Sister, Beth Underwood. Prizes for the winner and runner up include an introduction to Nelle as well as £1,250 in cash and an editorial report. The Award is given to unpublished writers…
Gill Thompson was shortlisted for the inaugural First Novel Award in 2017. Her novel The Oceans Between Us was published by Headline Press in March on the same day as The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby, our 2017 winner! “I had wanted to write a novel for as long as I can remember. But…
Our May retreat at Asthall Manor in Oxfordshire took place last weekend. 10 writers spent four days in glorious sunshine in an inspiring and creative environment working on their novels and getting some help and advice from our guest tutors and BPA editors Sara and Emma. The highlight of the weekend was an afternoon workshop…
2018 First Novel Award runner up Mandy Robotham has signed with agent Broo Doherty of DHH Literary Agency. Sales of her first book A Woman of War have surpassed expectations – e.book and paperback sales in UK are now at 81,000, with the paperback edition titled The German Midwife launching in the US and Canada on…
BPA retreat client Claire Lewis gathered family and friends together for her book launch at the Bluebird Cafe last night. Set in the Caribbean, She’s Mine is a gripping psychological thriller about a stolen child that Claire started while on the Faber Academy “Writing your Novel” six month course. It explores issues of sibling rivalry, loss of…
BPA client, Damhnait Monaghan is shortlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!
Spring Retreat at Asthall Manor, Burford, Oxfordshire. May 10 – 13, 2019, Contact us for bookings >
Beth Underdown, our author judge and lecturer in creative writing at Manchester University gives writers some tips to get their entries noticed. What will you be looking for in the competition line up? Somebody who really wants to tell me a story. If it’s a story unlike any I’ve read before, even better. Any advice…
We spoke to Nelle Andrews about what she’s looking for in this year’s BPA first novel award and this is what she had to say… When reading submissions, what is it that makes you want to read on? Strong narrative hook; good writing; plausible characterisation; clever opening What do you look for in that first…
