Blue Pencil Agency Pitch Prize 2024

The Prize is open to unrepresented writers in any adult fiction genre

Pitch Prize Readers’ Choice Winner

by Peggy Lee | Dec 5, 2024 | Pitch Prize Reader's Choice Winner 2024, Pitch Prize Readers' Choice 2024

We are excited to announce that we have a clear winner for the Pitch Prize Readers' Choice vote! Many congratulations to Emily Roe who won the vote with the opening of The Stym, a dystopian novel. BPA will award Emily a short report on her opening 10,000 words. Well...

Pitch Prize Winners 2024

by Peggy Lee | Nov 22, 2024 | Pitch Prize Winners

We are delighted to reveal the winners of the BPA Pitch Prize 2024. This year we received a record number of more than 550 entries. Recurring themes include unhappy marriages, dysfunctional family trips, strong women overcoming adversity, bucket lists, myth...

The BPA Pitch Prize 2024

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

Judge: Katie Greenstreet, Paper Literary

Prize: Up to 10 winners:

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

Sign up for a live Q & A with Katie on Tuesday October 8 from 6 pm.

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

Cover letter to include your pitch

Online entry via BPA websit

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

BPA Pitch Prize 2023

£12.00

Timetable

Entries Open: August 24, 2024
Entries Close: October 25, 2024

Readers Choice Voting: November 15 – 29, 2024

Winners Announced: December 2024

Prize: One to One Pitch Meetings with Katie on zoom for up to 10 winners in January/February 2025.

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:

• 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

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 October 25, 2024.
Clients of BPA who have been mentored for more than six months are not eligible to enter.
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 October 25, 2024.
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

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.

Emma’s Tips for the Cover letter
“Basics”: key information about the novel

title; fiction or non-fiction; broad genre; no of words written to date; estimated length of novel when completed

“Hook Paragraph”: what will compel the reader to keep reading?

the reader’s avatar in the story (main character); main reason for acting, main problem; context and setting of story

“Further Info”: what will sell you and the book to the reader (& to the agent as representative reader)

who the writer is & where the story came from; comparators: what are your potential future readers reading now?; who the agent is and what they like

2024 Pitch Prize Judge

Katie Greenstreet joined Paper Literary in 2022. A corporate lawyer by training, she worked for several large law firms before making the leap into publishing. She started her career in books as an assistant at ICM Partners in New York, where she supported a list of Booker, Pulitzer, and Nobel Prize-winning authors.

She then moved to London and joined C&W, where she began building her own list while also working alongside Sue Armstrong and Sophie Lambert. At C&W, Katie discovered her passion for amplifying undiscovered voices and for getting stuck into projects editorially.

At every step of the publication process, Katie prioritises the reach and longevity of her authors’ careers, and she is especially looking for clients with whom she can build enduring, long-term relationships. She has sold six and seven figure deals in the US and UK.

“I’m currently looking for literary suspense, upmarket commercial crime and thriller with big hooks, unique settings, and unforgettable voices, and historical fiction that transcends the genre and shines a light on contemporary themes. While I don’t represent genre romance, I am desperate to find a sweeping literary love story – the more tragic, the better, in my eyes. Themes that tend to unite my list are feminist perspectives, touches of darkness, and an element of escapism and/or glamour.”

{"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."

5

Amy Twigg

Pitch Prize 2021 winner & longlisted for the First Novel Award 2022. Debut novel, Spoilt Creatures.

{“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.”

5

Carolyn Kirby

Winner of the 2017 First Novel Award. She is represented by agent Andrew Lownie.

{

"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."

5

Neil Daws

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

{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!

5

Tracy Coker

First Novel Award 2022 Winner

{

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.

5

Karen Pierce

2022 First Novel Award Runner-Up

{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!

5

Letty Butler

2022 Pitch Prize 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.

5

Julia Kelly

Winner of the 2021 First Novel Award for The Lost Child. She is represented by Hellie Ogden.

{When I entered the BPA Pitch Prize I was in the middle of querying another novel and had written just 10,000 words of the speculative novel which would ultimately win the prize and go on to receive an offer of representation from Millie Hoskins at United Agents. Winning the BPA pitch prize gave me such a boost and with feedback from Millie, I set to work on drafting the full novel in just under six months. The characters and storyline captured my heart straight away and Millie was the dream agent to sign with. I would say to any writer, keep going. Keep honing your craft. I’ve invested a lot in my writing journey, from courses to mentoring to entering prizes, all have led me here and hopefully beyond. As for the pitch itself, a good hook will get you far, as will a sharp sentence that gets right to the heart of the story. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest benefits of the BPA Pitch Prize is to see if your story has enough potential before you fully invest in it. As a writer with five manuscripts in a drawer I really needed that!

5

Claire Williams

2022 Pitch Prize Winner

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