Award for an Unpublished Novel by a Woman: Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize 2011

Deadline: 29 April 2011

This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for some woman emerging novelist. It could be written exactly with me in mind.

Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, is delighted to announce that its first ever fiction prize will be awarded on Thursday 9 June 2011. We are now inviting people to submit work to be considered for the prize, subject to the following terms and conditions:

Guidelines

1) The prize is for a novel by a woman over the age of 21 that marries literary merit with unputdownability.

2) The novel may be on any subject at all. We welcome submissions of literary fiction and genre fiction equally.

3) The novel must be unpublished, and must not have been accepted for future publication or self-published.

4) Anyone who has previously published a full-length novel is not eligible to enter the competition.
5) Each entry must consist of: the first 30 pages of the novel and a synopsis of the remainder of the novel that may be up to 10 pages long. The form the synopsis takes is left to the discretion of the entrant - it might be a detailed breakdown of the remainder of the plot, or a few paragraphs that give a flavour/overview. The novel does not need to be complete in order to be entered for the competition. It is acceptable to enter novels-in-progress and/or the first 30 pages of a novel you would like to write, or intend to write.

6) The entrance fee is £10 per entry. Entrants may submit a maximum of 3 entries, but no more than 1 submission per entrant will be shortlisted.

7) Entries must be submitted in an envelope clearly marked ‘Fiction Prize’ and must consist of:

* the first 30 pages of the novel, printed in black ink on white A4 paper, 1.5 line spacing. The entrant’s name must not appear on the manuscript.

* up to 10 pages of synopsis, printed in black ink on white A4 paper, 1.5 line spacing. The entrant’s name must not appear on the synopsis.

*a separate sheet of white A4 paper that contains the following details: entrant’s name, address, phone numbers, email address, date of birth, title(s) of novel(s) submitted.

* a cheque for the appropriate entry fee. Cheques should be made payable to Lucy Cavendish College.

The judges will be bestselling novelist and poet Sophie Hannah and Professor Janet Todd, President of Lucy Cavendish College.
The Shortlist, the Prize-giving Dinner and the Prize
The judges will draw up a shortlist of five submissions. Those five entrants, plus one guest per shortlisted entrant, will be invited to the prize-giving dinner at Lucy Cavendish College on the evening of Thursday 9 June 2011. Fiction editors, literary agents and journalists will also be present at the dinner, as will fellows and students of the college. The judges will talk about all five shortlisted entries before announcing the winner and awarding the prize. The winner of the prize will receive a cheque for £1000, an editorial report and advice about publication from the judges. All five shortlistees will have the chance to meet editors and agents at the dinner.

Fiction Prize, c/o President’s Secretary, Lucy Cavendish College, Lady Margaret Road Cambridge

More information here.