This year, for the first time, the Bridport Prize organisers are awarding a prize to a novelist - and a first time novelist to boot. I am one of those! I reckon.
I've been building (slowly, yes) a picture, a world, a person - maybe that's not the right order - but it's been building for a while and I'm going to build it faster and enter it into the Bridport Prize for a novel on or before May 31st.
What's really great about this prize is that it's a supported one so it includes mentoring and guidance from The Literacy Consultancy, as well as possible representation from agents A M Heath. It can be awarded to to a completed or an uncompleted novel. The dates and time frame for the longlist and shortlist are given, so you know what's expected and when.
And if I don't get listed I will have built a bit faster. The guidelines are here.
I have to have 5000 words ready to submit on May 31st. If I'm longlisted a further 10,000 will be required by the end of July. I almost have those 5000 words ready, and plenty notes for the next few thousand. The plan is to just keep writing, which is an ok plan I think.
I know this character, I know some of the things she'll do. Mostly I like writing her, so with focus I reckon I can do this.
Will do updates!
3 comments:
All the best with this, Tree. I'm sure you'll benefit from the added incentive to get the words down.
I was quite tempted myself, but I don't think my SF thriller is exactly Bridport material. I hope they repeat the competition next year as by then I plan to be well and truly stuck into something more 'literary'.
Very best of luck, Teresa! I hope you win and get a super publishing deal and a bestseller!
Thank you Nik, Dan and Rachel.
Dan, you should give it a go anyway. I don't know if mine's literary really, I just like it. Seems wrong to think in 'literary' and 'other'. A good story is a good story. And I bet yours is!
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