Much More Than A Writing Competition: Escalator Literature
Escalator Literature 2012 is closed. Click to meet this year's winners and sign-up to our e-news on the left to be informed of other opportunities for writers, including the 2013 opening date.
“Trying to get started can sometimes feel like trying to run the wrong way up an escalator, so it’s great that we’re being given a lift!” Helen Mort, Winner 2008
“…it is an exciting, very valuable scheme and offers so much to up-and-coming writers” Escalator Judge 2011
Are you a writer of genre fiction based in the East of England? Are you a writer of literary fiction whose work defies all genres?
Enter Our Escalator Literature Competition
What type of genre writing do you specialise in? Whether it's nail-biting crime, sublime historical fiction or something that blends and defies genre - think Murakami or Mieville - prepare to enter your best work into our Escalator Literature Competition and win a year’s worth of creative and professional development, funding support, and key introductions to agents and publishers.
Escalator is closed.
About the CompetitionThis year our Escalator scheme is looking for writers of genre fiction or inventive mash-ups of genre. Open to writers from the East of England who want to take their work to the next level, enter now if you think you would benefit from:
• One-To-One Mentoring
A year’s worth of support from outstanding professional writers (Tobias Hill, Natasha Cooper, Cathi Unsworth, David Rain and Michelle Spring).
Read their biogs here.
• Supported Applications For Grants
• Professional Development Workshops
A tailored range of workshops designed to give you the information you need to get ahead in the world of writing.
• Introductions To Agents and Publishers
Your work will be introduced to agents, publishers and other industry professionals and you will take part in a special London reception at the end of the year promoting you and your work.
• Peer Support
Across 2013, ten outstanding writers will be supported through Escalator Literature. There's often nothing more important than finding a group of like-minded people to support you through the highs and lows and WCN will be there to support you as a group and as individuals over the course of the Escalator year.
When?The Escalator Literature Genre Fiction Competition is o
pen now.
Submissions must reach us by 5pm on Wednesday 28th November. See eligibility guidelines below.
Escalator Literature is an Arts Council England funded initiative and has been running for seven years. Many Escalator Literature prize winners have gone on to find agents and get published: Guy Saville, Helen Ivory, Susan Sellers and Nicola Upson are all graduates of the scheme.
Who Can Apply?We welcome applications from writers of ambitious, high quality genre fiction, which includes crime writing, thrillers, horror, ghost stories and the supernatural, mysteries, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction, romance, humour, espionage and inventive mash-ups. If your writing crosses genres or defies them, as long as it's excellent, we'd like to see it.
Escalator Literature is open to writers currently resident in the East of England who think that a period of structured support would enable them to develop artistically. Successful applicants will demonstrate considerable creative talent and potential for development and will commit to the Escalator Literature scheme and the work they undertake as part of it.
Eligibility Guidelines:
Applicants must
• Be over the age of 18
• Be resident in the East of England (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk)
• Submit their applications in English
• Submit single authored works only
• Demonstrate creative talent and potential for development
• Be available to attend a mentoring session on Saturday 26 January 2013
• Be writers of genre fiction or include elements of genre in their work: this covers crime writing, thrillers, horror, ghost stories and the supernatural, mysteries, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction, romance, humour, espionage and inventive mash-ups.
Applicants must not
• Be studying for a full time academic qualification in creative writing at the time of applying for the Arts Council England grant (January 2013)
• Have previously published or self published a full length work of fiction
• Have received an Arts Council Grants for the Arts award in the previous three years
• Be employees or related to employees of Writers’ Centre Norwich
Want to Apply? Here's How:
Please
pay online here, filling in the questionnaire and then printing out your e-receipt. You will need to pay a processing fee of £5 online, and we accept credit and debit cards.
Applicants may not apply more than once.
If you have not already registered with Writers’ Centre Norwich you will be asked to register.
If you are unable to pay online please contact us on 01603 877177.
Then Send Us Your Application Once you have paid online please submit the following by post:
• A Sample Of Your Work (3 x copies)*
Up to 3000 words typed (hand-written submissions will not be accepted), single-spaced 12pt on A4. Note – this sample should be an extract from a piece of longer writing and should display your writing at its best.
• An Application Letter (3 x copies)*
Please send a type-written covering letter no longer than one side of A4 paper including:
• The context and scope of your writing submission
• A short biography of your writing history
• An explanation of where you are in your writing life and how you would benefit from Escalator Literature
• The Receipt From Your Online Payment
*Please include your online booking reference number on all copies of your documentation. You can include your name on your application letter, but please do not include it on your writing submission.
Please send the receipt for your online payment along with three copies of your writing sample and three copies of your covering letter to:
Escalator 2012/13
Writers’ Centre Norwich
14 Princes Street
Norwich
NR3 1AE
DEADLINE: Wednesday 28th November 2012 by 5pm
Your application must reach our office by this date.
If you need further information about the Escalator Genre Fiction Competition then we are very happy to talk to you informally and answer any questions:
What Happens Next?The ten Escalator winners and commended applicants will be notified by Wednesday 23rd January 2013. Good luck!!
Meet This Year's WinnersThe ten talented genre fiction writers below have all won a place on this year’s support and mentoring programme, Escalator Literature. Selected by our judges - Tobias Hill, Natasha Cooper, Cathi Unsworth, David Rain and Michelle Spring - do visit the winner's page to read their biogs and extracts of their writing.
2012/13 Escalator Literature Genre Fiction Competition Winners:
Megan Bradbury
Jonathan Curran
Sue Healy
Kyra Karmiloff
Ian Madden
Mary Nathan
Meghan Pervis
Linda Spurr
Lynsey White
Lucy Yates
View Winners' Biogs and Novel Extracts
Commended Writers:
Jan Casey
Tim Clare
Alex Crisp
It Works
Case Study: Guy Saville
"So, four years on from winning Escalator, things couldn't be going better. Now all I need to do is finish book two..."
"Afrika Reich did really well in hardback, selling more than 10,000 copies which makes me the 11th best selling debut of 2011. It also reached number three in Spain's charts (no doubt helped by a week long publicity tour of Madrid and Barcelona) and the paperback has also got off to a flying start. All in all, not bad for a book which the majority of publishers in this country said had no commercial appeal!...I've also just had some more good news... The book has now sold to America in a major two-book deal with Henry Holt, part of Macmillan. It will be published next year in the US." October 2011
"Thank you for all the wonderful events and opportunities to learn along the way. These were terrific days, greatly appreciated, always inspirational, and insightfully chosen.” Martin Ungless, Winner 2009/10
We run Escalator Literature on behalf of
Arts Council England and we’d like to thank them for their support.