There is a new prize on the block, and it comes with a truly substantial purse. As always when bringing news of a new prize, I have checked the terms and conditions thoroughly to make sure it is likely to be relevant to a decent number of readers. And the eligibility for the new Novelry Prize seems fairly straightforward. Anyone who is unagented (and with some standard territorial exceptions) is able to enter for the chance to grab the £75,000 award.
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
I also, as per our Watchdog’s advice, make sure to check the entry fee (£15 in this case) and announced judges (here we have a fairly stellar roster, including former Booker Prize winner Yann Martel of Life of Pi fame). In other words, it ticks many boxes without raising many flags.
Public Voting Adds a Twist
Entries should consist of the first three pages (defined as 1,500 words) of an as-yet-unpublished novel, submitted by July 31. The Novelry team will then select a drastically reduced shortlist that is made available for a public vote beginning September 28. Once the public vote has closed, the judging team will select a winner.
I am always skeptical of public votes in such competitions, as they are so open to manipulation. On the other hand, if the vote is advisory, that reduces the risk. And there is both pre-sifting and a judging panel sandwiching that vote.
The winner will receive not just £75,000 but also a year of support from The Novelry to develop their first three pages into a book. The Guardian has additional details.
BISG Honors Spotify
And talking of prizes, a reminder that the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Annual Meeting has now taken place. And as I noted when it was first announced, one of the highlights of that meeting is the recognition of Spotify by means of an award for innovation. It was in acknowledging this award, of course, that Spotify made such a big deal of its commitment to authors—which ties in nicely with the story I ran last time on the new direction of INaudio and Spotify for Authors.
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