2023 BPA First Novel Award Winners
In a small town in the north of England, a catatonic young woman is declared an Indian goddess. Soon the news attracts pilgrims in saffron and online influencers – and…
In a small town in the north of England, a catatonic young woman is declared an Indian goddess. Soon the news attracts pilgrims in saffron and online influencers – and…
We are thrilled to announce the BPA First Novel Award 2020 shortlist. This year’s judges, literary agents Caroline Wood and Carrie Plitt from Felicity Bryan Associates and best-selling author Anna…
We are delighted to announce the First Novel Award 2020 Longlist. This year’s judges are literary agents Caroline Wood and Carrie Plitt from Felicity Bryan Agency and best selling author,…
The Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre
Winner: £1,000 + Agent Introduction
Runner up: Manuscript Review + Agent Introduction
Highly Commended: Agent Introduction
JUNE 1 – THE COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED. DO NOT SUBMIT AS YOUR ENTRY WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE AND YOU MAY BE CHARGED
To Enter Simply click on the Pay Now Button.
You will be directed to Paypal to make one payment of £20 per entry.
After the payment is successful, you will be directed to the submission page automatically.
This year we are offering up to 10 free entries for UK based writers on low incomes.
If there are more than ten applications the most promising ten submissions will be selected by the BPA team.
See submissions details below for more information
Literary Agents: Caroline Wood and Carrie Plitt of Felicity Bryan Associates
Author: Anna Hope
The team at Blue Pencil Agency will oversee all submissions.
Submission: Opening chapter or chapters up to 5000 words plus a 300 word synopsis and a covering letter
Entry fee: £20 for each submission. Online entry only.
Timetable: Enter now
Closing date: May 31, 2020
The long listed writers will be contacted by email with announcements of the titles on the website in July.
Short listed writers will be asked to submit 20,000 words (includes the initial entry).
The winners will be notified by email and announced on October 30, 2020.
Favourite Lines: we will post our favourite lines on social media from April until the Long List announcement in July.
· 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.
Caroline Wood was a film producer before joining Felicity Bryan Associates as a literary agent in 2006. She represents a number of award-winning and top ten best-selling authors including Jonathan Coe, winner of the Costa Novel Award 2019, Damon Galgut, twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Louis de Bernieres and acclaimed literary fiction writers Anna Hope, Liza Klaussmann and Gill Hornby. She is looking for literary fiction – contemporary and historical – upmarket women’s fiction and crime. She loves the editing process and is keen to find one or two exceptional debut authors to add to her list in 2020.
Carrie Plitt is a literary agent at Felicity Bryan Associates where she is building a list of both fiction and non-fiction. She was named a 2018 Bookseller Rising Star. The authors she represents include Sunday Times bestseller Reni Eddo-Lodge, Wellcome Prize winner Will Eaves and Richard and Judy Book Club pick Alex Reeve. She is looking for writers of literary fiction, book club fiction and upmarket crime. Prior to joining FBA, she worked at the literary agency C&W and in the rights department at Penguin Books. She also hosts a monthly books talk show and podcast on NTS Radio called Literary Friction.
Anna Hope studied at Oxford University and RADA. She is the acclaimed author of novels Wake and The Ballroom, both of which have sold in over 15 countries. Her contemporary fiction debut, Expectation, explores themes of love, lust, motherhood and feminism, while asking the greater question of what defines a generation.
JUNE 1 – THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. DO NOT ENTER AS YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE AND YOU MAY STILL BE CHARGED.
Assistance to writers on low incomes
This year we are offering up to 10 free entries for UK based writers on low incomes
If there are more than ten applications the most promising ten submissions will be selected by the BPA team.
Please click here to Contact BPA with your application and proof of financial eligibility such as: Jobseeker’s Allowance; Disability Benefit; Income Support; Working Tax Credit; Child Tax Credit; proof of being a full-time student; Housing Benefit; proof of being a full-time carer.
All details will be kept confidential.
Before entering, please ensure to familiarise yourself with the Rules, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policies. Entering the Blue Pencil First Novel Award is taken as your full agreement. Do not enter after the closing date of May 31 as your entry will not be valid.
Caroline Wood, agent at Felicity Bryan Associates
When reading submissions, what is it that makes you want to read on?
A compelling voice, characters I care about, a great opening, a vivid setting, atmosphere.
What do you look for in that first chapter?
I want to be drawn into a world: it could be an intriguing prologue, a great hook, a mystery I want to know the answer to, great dialogue, a compelling character, beautiful, transporting writing.
Any tips for the first page?
Work and rework it. Agents and publishers make quick decisions and it’s the one page they are all going to read. As for the content, there are no hard and fast rules but you don’t want the opening page to read like a synopsis and it’s amazing how many do. You want to plunge the reader into your story, so something active – a character doing or saying something – rather than a passive description can often work well. Adding a prologue that might be a taste of an event later on in the book, something the reader doesn’t entirely understand at this point, can also be very effective.
At what point do you read the synopsis?
Usually after I have read the pages. I want to judge the opening of the book as a reader will not know the story to come.
You describe yourself as representing literary fiction and well written commercial fiction, including crime and thrillers. Is there a quality that you feel is integral to all the authors you’re attracted to?
Great story-telling. Narrative tension – literary fiction needs it too! And characters I care about. Also, I want to be left with something at the end of the book.
Expectation, Anna Hope’s third novel, has been highly successful. Can you tell me why you think that is?
It’s a very honest, heartfelt and authentic book about female friendship over time, and it has connected with women readers of all ages. It shows us what goes on behind closed doors in a brave way. It’s also very sexy and moving.
For writers that don’t necessarily fit with the genres you currently represent, is it still worth their while to enter the competition, i.e. sci-fi, fantasy, horror?
To be brutally honest, I would say no. It will be hard for me to judge books in these categories as they are not genres that I myself read.
Who are your favourite authors of our time? And the classics?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Anne Tyler, Ann Patchett, Maggie O’Farrell, Coetze, Ondaatje early McEwan, most William Boyd.
In terms of classics – Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, John Williams (Stoner), LP Hartley (The Go-Between)
How do you think your view will compare to Carrie’s and Anna’s?
I might care a bit more about pace than Carrie and Anna, and I will be less drawn to experimental writing.
Any other advice for entrants?
Be ambitious. The market is saturated and your book needs to stand out. Think of the two-line pitch. Fiction about non-fiction is popular at the moment, fiction that feels relevant and teaches us something. Historical fiction needs to have a contemporary resonance.
Carrie Plitt, agent at Felicity Bryan Associates
When reading submissions, what is it that makes you want to read on?
For me, it’s a combination of great writing, a voice that feels unique, and a sense that I want to know what happens in the plot or to the characters.
What do you look for in that first chapter?
A first chapter needs to grab the reader by the shoulders, shake them, and make them desperate to read on. I talk to a lot of writers who tell me that their book really gets going in the second or third chapters, but if that’s the case then you probably need to cut or significantly change the first chapter. It’s also important that the first chapter is not just telling you about the world you are entering and the characters you are meeting, but instead thrusting you into it.
Any tips for the first page?
I read a lot of over-written first pages. Strip it down to the essentials! And don’t begin with the weather or someone waking up.
At what point do you read the synopsis?
It depends. Sometimes I don’t read the synopsis at all, if I don’t want to know how a book ends. But I usually read it after I have read the first three chapters to make sure the book has a clear narrative direction.
You describe yourself as having an interest in books about the issues facing society today. Can you expand on that?
I love books that respond to the things we are thinking about deeply in our present moment. They don’t have to be set now, but I am always looking for books about things like race, class, gender and the environment.
You represent Alex Reeve whose novel, The House on Half Moon Street was chosen for The Richard and Judy Book Club in 2019. How do you feel this will impact his career as a writer?
The Richard and Judy Book Club was a great chance for Alex to be found by readers who may not have picked up his book otherwise, and it definitely was a factor in his publishers commissioning at least 4 books in the Leo Stanhope detective series.
Who are your favourite authors of our time? And the classics?
My answer to this question changes all the time, but my favourite writers of our time at the moment are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Marilynne Robinson and Elena Ferrante. My favourite classic writers include Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and Graham Greene.
How do you think your view will compare to Caroline and Anna’s?
Caroline and I have some overlapping taste and some diverging taste. But I think we will all know good writing when we see it.
Any other advice for entrants?
Make sure you’re not the only person who has read your novel before you send it off. Find a friend who you trust to give you fair and constructive feedback.
Anna Hope, Author
What will you be looking for in the competition line up?
Quality and diversity. Honesty. Bravery.
Any advice for the first page?
I think the most important thing is to have the voice there on the page. It doesn’t matter if the voice is shouting, whispering, seducing, crying…it needs to be present from the first word.
Top three tips for the first chapter.
Well, you need to make sure that the voice is there, that the story is up and running, ideally that it ends at a point that makes the reader want to read the second chapter. And, of course, that it’s as strong as it can possibly be.
What advice would you give to writers submitting to agents and competitions?
To remember that whoever is reading your novel is likely to be busy – to be fitting the reading in around a myriad of other responsibilities and so to remember to delight them, to really give them something wonderful, something that they can’t bear to put down!
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m in Mexico, researching my next novel and am deep into Malcom Lowry’s Under the Volcano. Sometimes I think it’s the greatest novel I’ve ever read – at other times I’m wondering where his editor was – but I’m loving it.
Tell us a little bit about your writing day.
I haven’t written regularly since last spring, and I’m actually about to start writing in earnest this morning, so I’m delighted and daunted in equal measure. But broadly I get up, see my daughter off to childcare, then drink coffee, sit down, and get to it for four hours. If I’m writing a first draft I try to write at least 1000 words a day. Sometimes it’s less, but it’s often more. The second, third and subsequent drafts are different, involving more hard thinking and problem solving, but the hours remain the same.
You said in an interview with Tonya Cowan that you felt free when you realized you didn’t have to be brilliant. You could just be yourself and not write for a nebulous “market”. Is that a piece of advice you’d give to any debut author?
Definitely. Also, somehow, to allow yourself to be the writer that you are rather than the author you think you should be. Often our internalised ideas about what sort of writer we should be can get in our way. But working through that is a long process and can’t be forced. Sometimes it takes a whole novel in a voice that isn’t quite yours to realise your authentic voice is hiding somewhere.
Wake, was your debut novel, but it is your third novel, Expectation, that has been an incredible success. Why do you think that is?
Well, I don’t really know. I do know that I tried to write as honestly as I could about difficult experiences and emotions – I hope that has resonated with people.
Did you find your training as an actor helped you as a writer?
It’s hard for me to say, but in purely technical terms I hope that my dialogue is strong as a result of reading so many scripts.
How do you think your view will compare to Carrie and Caroline’s?
I suppose I’ll be looking for a pure reading experience rather than thinking about selling the book.
“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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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!
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.
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
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.
“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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“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
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.
“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.
“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.