New Writing Ventures Awards

The Guardian has an article about the recently announced shortlist for the New Writing Ventures awards.

The New Writing Ventures awards, launched two years ago by Booktrust and the New Writing Partnership, are open to all previously unpublished writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry and are intended to help nurture emerging talent beyond the usual round of prize ceremonies and cheque-cashing. In addition to the prize money, the winner and runners-up in each category receive a “bespoke development plan” provided by Arts Council England, which includes workshops, online mentoring from the Literary Consultancy, introductions to agents and professional advice.

What’s really curious is that out of the nine writers nominated in three categories—fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry—eight of them are women.

“It is a really exciting shortlist,” adds Gribble. “We have a Pakistani poet who is over 50, a young Muslim playwright, novelists from North Yorkshire and west London … It’s a really interesting mixture and they all have strong stories behind what they are doing in addition to the high quality of their writing. I have no doubt that these people will be snapped up very quickly.”

Before you dismiss this as a contest for perennial writing club writers, take note that two winners from 2005—Nicholas Hogg in fiction, and Liz Diamond in creative nonfiction—are being published by Canongate and Picador. Not bad.

The winners of the NWV awards will be announced on Tuesday September 11.