Pitch Prize 2023 Winners Announcement
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BPA Pitch Prize

Pitch Prize Winners 2023

We are delighted to reveal the winners of the BPA Pitch Prize 2023. This year we saw many stories depicting art forgery, unreliable narrators, and the ways artificial intelligence may intrude deeper into our intimate lives… Our judge, literary agent Millie Hoskins from United Agents, and the team at BPA, thoroughly enjoyed reading so many…

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The BPA Pitch Prize 2023

Competition for unagented writers looking for representation for a work of fiction.

Judge: Millie Hoskins, Literary Agent, United Agents

Prize: Up to 10 winners:

Pitch your novel to Millie. Editorial feedback and recommendations. Industry insights and advice on next steps.

Purchase a recording of a live Q & A session with Millie 

Purchase a recording of a tutorial on Hooks, Pitches and Openings with Emma Darwin

Submission:

First 500 words of your opening chapter

300 word synopsis

Online entry via BPA website.

Entry fee: £12 for each submission. Online entry only

Timetable

Entries Open: August 23, 2023
Entries Close: November 5, 2023

Judging: November/December 2023

Prize: One to One Pitch Meetings with Millie on zoom for up to 10 winners in January/February 2024.

Before entering, please ensure to familiarise yourself with the Rules, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policies. Entering the BPA Pitch Prize is taken as your full agreement.

After Payment, you will see a button labelled ‘ Click here to download’, at the Order Complete page.
Click on it to download the PDF file which includes a link to the submission page.

The link will also be in the email that will be sent after payment.

What we’re looking for:
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• any genre with the exception of children’s fiction and non-fiction. YA is permitted provided there is an adult crossover.
• a strong voice.
• the makings of an original and compelling story.
• an attention grabbing first paragraph.

Eligibility
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  • Authors must be over 18 years old at the time of entry.
  • The Prize is open to unrepresented authors of fiction at the closing date of November 5, 2023.
  • 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.
  • Published authors are accepted as long as they don’t have an agent.
  • The first 10,000 words must have been completed at the closing date of November 5, 2023.
  • Entrants may submit more than one pitch 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.
  • Judge’s decision is final. Judge is 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, entrants are agreeing for BPA to keep a record of their email 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 (from PayPal, you will be redirected to the submission form).
  • Upload your first 500 words plus a 300 word synopsis and a covering letter with some brief information about yourself/your career as a writer.
  • Please ensure that the file name is the title of the story.
  • 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 publication history and the genre of your novel if applicable (e.g. uplit, romance, contemporary, historical, psychological thriller, fantasy, crime, women’s, literary), as well as your pitch.
  • 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.

Assistance to writers on low incomes or from under-represented backgrounds

We’re offering a minimum of 20 free entries for UK based writers on low incomes or from communities currently under-represented in publishing.

Applications will be reviewed and the most promising submissions will be selected by the BPA team.

Please click here to Contact BPA with your application and, if relevant, 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.

BPA Pitch Prize
Pitch Prize 2023 Judge

2023 Pitch Prize Judge

Millie joined United Agents in 2014 after studying English Literature at Exeter University and began building her list of authors after just two years as an assistant whilst continuing to work closely with many of UA’s long-standing bestselling clients. She is looking for exciting new writers of fiction – commercial and literary- and narrative non-fiction of most genres, excluding SFF. She is a 2022 Bookseller Rising Star.

 

Millie’s Tips for Entrants 

The opening of a book is key for captivating a reader, be it an agent you’re submitting to, an editor they’re sharing with or a reader in a bookshop. As an agent, we’re inundated with submissions so I’m always looking for something bold and engaging from the get-go, something that will make the book stand out amongst the tens (or hundreds) of others; this can be an attention-grabbing first scene, a specific tone or just an impressive quality of writing, although of course all three is the ideal! You have to learn to trust your gut in this industry so, whilst a clear synopsis is useful, I will always start reading the manuscript first to get a proper sense of the writing before deciding how to proceed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I meet Millie in person If I’m a winner?

The meetings will take place on zoom or skype at a mutually convenient date in January or February 2024

Will I get representation with Millie?

Not necessarily. The Prize offers a chance to pitch your story and get editorial feedback and industry insights. There is no obligation for Millie to take on any of the winners, although she might invite you to submit directly to her once the novel is finished.

I’ve had a novel published, am I still eligible to enter?

Yes, as long as you don’t have an agent.

I’ve only just started writing the novel, can I still enter?

Yes, as long as you’ve written the first 10,000 words and you have a clear synopsis so you know where the story is heading.

I’m away for the whole of January, if I’m a winner can the meeting take place another time?

The one on one sessions will be arranged at a mutually convenient time during January or February 2023 and can take place on zoom or by skype. It is unlikely that Hattie will be able to commit outside of this timeframe.

I’ve got several ideas. Can I pitch them all?

You may submit more than one entry but they need to be submitted and paid for individually.