How do you feel your school will benefit from holding a mini BWA competition?"Our school has a lot of very keen and talented writers and readers in all age groups; the BWA will encourage those pupils and help them to develop their skills"
Lucy Roberts
English Teacher
Queen Elizabeth Mercian School
 "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart" - William Wordsworth |
High-profile judges
Please bear with us while we line up our high-profile judges for the Brit Writers' Awards Unpublished 2011. In the meantime, here's who judged BWA 2010...
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Michelle Lovric is a novelist, journalist and anthologist.
Her third novel, The Remedy, was long-listed for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Remedy is a literary murder-mystery set against the background of the quack medicine industry in the eighteenth century.
Her first novel, Carnevale, is the story of the painter Cecilia Cornaro, described by The Times as the possessor of ‘the most covetable life’ in fiction in 2001. In Lovric’s second novel, The Floating Book, a chorus of characters relates the perilous beginning of the print industry in Venice. The book explores the translation of raw emotion into saleable merchandise from the points of view of poets, editors, publishers – and their lovers. The Floating Book, a London Arts award winner, was also selected as a WH Smith ‘Read of the Week’.
Her first novel for young adult readers, The Undrowned Child, is published by Orion. The sequel, The Mourning Emporium, will be published in November 2010.
Her fourth adult novel, The Book of Human Skin, is published by Bloomsbury in April 2010 and by Penguin Canada in June 2010.
Lovric reviews for publications including The Times and writes travel articles about Venice. She has featured in several BBC radio documentaries about Venice.
She combines her fiction work with editing, designing and producing literary anthologies including her own translations of Latin and Italian poetry. Her book Love Letters was a New York Times best-seller.
Lovric divides her time between London and Venice. She holds a workshop in her home in London with published writers of poetry and prose, fiction and memoir. She's been appointed Royal Literary Fund fellow at the Courtauld Institute of Art from September 2010. www.michellelovric.com
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Helen Hollick lives on the outskirts of London, in Walthamstow, with her husband and adult daughter – and a variety of pets. Helen has been passionate about books and writing all her life. Her first employment was in a local library, where she discovered the history behind the legends of King Arthur, which eventually led to the writing of Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy, the first of her historical novels.
Helen has been Chair of the local Dyslexia Association and worked part-time as a School Librarian in a Special Needs school. She especially enjoys encouraging new writers to achieve their dream of writing a novel. Her best advice? ‘To finish, you must first get started!’
She was first published by William Heinemann (Random House UK) but when her books fell out of print (with the exception of A Hollow Crown) and were not to be re-printed, she obtained the copyright and re-published them herself via Discovered Authors. She also independently published a new venture, Sea Witch, with Discovered Authors, although this pirate-based adventure-fantasy series is now published in their mainstream Diamond imprint, and is no longer classed as “self-published”.
Helen firmly support writers who decide to publish their books as either “self” or “independent”, as she feels too many excellent writers are being overlooked by the large publishing houses - the “darn good read” has been swept aside in favour of ‘celebrity books’ and known best-seller authors. Few publishers will now take on new writers who need their skill and talent nurturing a little – books have to make instant money.
“I whole-heartedly applaud the idea of the British Writers’ Awards and sincerely hope that new talent is therefore encouraged!”
In conjunction with her UK editor, Jo Field, Helen has put together an article entitled Discovering the Diamond, giving hints and tips to new writers. This is available free of charge on-line at:
http://www.helenhollick.net/culpa41.html www.helenhollick.net
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Dr Thom Brooks works in the area of political and legal philosophy. He is the founding editor of the Journal of Moral Philosophy (www.brill.nl/jmp). His current research projects include: completing a new monograph, Punishment, appearing in 2010; editing a new book with Martha Nussbaum, entitled Rawls's Political Liberalism, scheduled to appear in 2011; completing a new monograph, Global Justice, due to appear in 2010; completing an edited book with new essays on Hegel's Philosophy of Right to be published in 2010; completing an edited book with new essays by top new philosophers working in the area of ethics, entitled New Waves in Ethics; writing a new monogragh on political philosophy for Blackwell's 'Fundamentals in Philosophy' series due to appear in 2011.
In addition, he is working on a variety of papers on the topics of (a) the capabilities approach, (b) climate change and global justice, (c) Hegel's philosophy and British Idealism, (d) human rights, and (e) the nationalism versus cosmopolitan debate. He is also a regular contributor writer and reviewer for the Times Higher Education.
Publications Include: Brooks T; Nussbaum MC, ed. Rawls's Political Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2010; Brooks T. Political Philosophy: The Fundamentals. Oxford: Blackwell, 2010; Brooks T, ed. Hegel's Philosophy of Right: Ethics, Politics, and Law. Oxford: Blackwell, 2010; Brooks T, ed. The Global Justice Reader. Oxford: Blackwell, 2008; Brooks T. Punishment. London: Routledge, 2008; Brooks T, ed. The Global Justice Reader. Oxford: Blackwell, 2008. Projects Include: Hegel's Speculative Politics: Toward a systematic reading of Hegel's Philosophy of Right |
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Nick Halliday is an author, illustrator and designer - and he runs the independent children's publisher HallidayBooks. His debut title The Lonely Tree was universally praised, was a 'recommended read' in The Observer, and has become a modern classic. Treetot and Glis the Eco Mouse will be launched in 2010.
Nick tutors and mentors writers and illustrators and is a patron for the children's charity Jigsaw. Nick will be launching two titles at the London Book Fair in April 2010, where he will also be heading and sponsoring the new Illustrators' Café.
Praise for The Lonely Tree: "Utterly completely and splendidly charming. Originally illustrated and delightfully told." Stephen Fry.
Praise for The Scummage: "Striking! An arresting journey to take with a younger reader." The Observer.
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Julie Malone, using the pen-name Karen Wright, is the author of The Winterne Series, a trilogy of fantasy adventures for older children and young adults. She is a founder and chairperson of New Writers UK, a non-for-profit organisation which promotes and supports independently published and aspiring authors.
Over the past three years, Julie has organised book festivals and opened channels for independently published authors with major bookstores. New Writers UK has given advice to aspiring writers, holding creative writing workshops in libraries, arts centres, prisons and schools.
Early in 2009 Julie approached Nottinghamshire Library Services to partner New Writers UK in setting up a creative-writing competition for children aged between nine and 13 across the county. Following the success of this inaugural project, the competition is to be widened to include eight to 14 year old entrants and will become an annual event encouraging young people to use their imagination and allowing them to see their name in print for the first time. Julie intends for this to become a cross-county venture.
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Justice A Williams was awarded an MBE from the Queen in June 2009 for services to young people in Birmingham. She is the founder and editor of Social Enterprise Tru Life Magazine and managing director of Birmingham Media Group (formerly known as Inner City Creative Media Group), a social enterprise she founded three years ago to offer training to young people aged between 17 and 30 in media and business skills.
The youngest black female in the UK to receive the honour, Ms Williams received her insignia at Buckingham Palace from the Queen on 5 November 2009.
Justice has also won Cosmopolitan Magazine Ultimate Women of the Year Award and was recognised as the 30th most powerful and influential person in Birmingham in the Birmingham Post's 2009 Power 50.
As a result of Justice's work, young people who might otherwise have struggled to find their way into work, have gone on to set up businesses that include an internet cafe, a dance academy and a street theatre company.
More than 100 youngsters have used the service - called 'Creating Successful Entrepreneurs'.
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David Price began working in education (lecturing in adult, further and higher education) after a 15-year stint as a songwriter and performer in the music industry. In 1994 he helped establish Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where he was Director of Learning for seven years.
Since then, David has led national projects in music and education in the UK, and advised companies, third-sector organisations and government departments internationally. He specialises in talking about creativity, human capability and the impact of digital technologies and education - work which has taken him all over the UK and Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA and China.
In 2001 David was made a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and was awarded with an OBE in June 2008 for services to education.
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Harry Bingham is the author of five novels, all from HarperCollins. The first, The Money Makers, shot straight onto the Sunday Times bestseller list.
The second, Sweet Talking Money, was shortlisted for the WHS Thumping Good Read Award 2002.
The Sons of Adam came out in 2004, and was picked by The Bookseller as one of the most exciting books of the year. Glory Boys came out in 2005, with the The Bookseller commenting: "If you haven't yet discovered the sales potential or sheer story-telling power of this author then you are missing out. He is the next [Jeffrey] Archer or [Sidney] Sheldon."
This Little Britain, published by 4th Estate in 2007, is Harry's first non-fiction publication. It's an entertaining, argumentative romp through British history, full of surprising facts. |
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Jonathan Telfer is from Writing Magazine and absolutely thrilled that the publication can get behind the Brit Writers' Awards.
As a judge of the 2008 Muslim Writers' Awards, Jonathan has expressed how it is great to see this award opening up to everyone... and reaching out to all those people who don't even know they want to be writers yet!
Whether you're an eventual winner or just enjoy the challenge of taking part, Jonathan feels these awards are a great opportunity to get yourself started as a writer, which is exactly what Writing Magazine and Writers' News are all about. He can't wait to see the entries... |
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Martin Ouvry worked as a musician in Europe and America before reading English at the University of East Anglia under the tutelage of Whitbread Prize-winner Lorna Sage. He went on to take the university's MA course in Creative Writing, and was awarded the UEA Alumni Prize for Fiction.
Martin is an editor at The Writers' Workshop, and reviews books for the Financial Times; he has also taught widely, including as an Associate Tutor at UEA. His short fiction has appeared in various anthologies and magazines, among them Tell Tales and New Writing.
In 2008, Martin was elected a Hawthornden Fellow; he is also grateful for the Arts Council Writer's Award that helped him develop a literary novel. He is represented by Andrew Kidd at Aitken Alexander Associates. |
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Sam Jordison has been earning a living as a writer since the year 2000. He was the brains behind the bestselling Crap Towns series and has published a book about cults, cranks and religious eccentrics called The Joy Of Sects. He is currently working on another humour book about disastrous dates - and his first short story was recently published in a compilation.
Sam has written features and articles for most national papers in the UK and he also regularly reviews films. He currently lives in Oxford with his partner. |
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Yasmin Standen graduated from university having read law. After practising law briefly, she spent some time at a London-based literary agency. In 2004, she set up her own agency, discovering a number of fantastic new writers. Between them they have had 20 books published, comprising of children's fiction and young adult fiction.
Yasmin is very keen to be part of the publishing process which enables new literary voices to be heard. She is interested in all genres of writing, whether for adults or children, literary or fantasy fiction, and is keen to discover new talent (which she views as one of the most exciting aspects of her job). |
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Susan Davies was seven when she wrote her first novel, which was lovingly illustrated and bound with scarlet knitting wool. Since then, she's upped her game. Her debut novel, The Henry Game (Random House 2002 - an Ottakars Book of the Month) tells the story of three girls who accidentally summon up the spirit of Henry VIII. The sequel, Delilah and the Dark Stuff, came out in 2003. Mad, Bad and Dangerous came out in 2005.
Susan's short fiction has been shortlisted for the Asham Award and won many other prizes. She has also been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Susan is an Arvon tutor and literary mentor. |
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Arshia Riaz joined BBC WM after working for stations across the Midlands and has now been working at the BBC for more than six years. She has taken on a variety of roles - including Presenter, Producer, Broadcast Journalist, Celebrity Booker and over the years has worked with a host of celebrities.
She is currently the producer and presenter of the Midlands Masala show on BBC WM. When Arshia is not busy at work she can be seen hosting events across the UK.
Arshia studied at Birmingham City University and gained a degree in Media and Communication. She later qualified as a journalist and then trained with the BBC as a Broadcast Journalist. Her love of journalism began after she took part in an internship working at CNN studios in London. |
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| Tania Hershman is a former science journalist. Commended by the judges of the 2009 Orange Award for New Writers, her short story collection The White Road and Other Stories is published by Salt Modern Fiction.
Tania is the incoming fiction editor of Southworld magazine and one of the judges of the 2009 Bristol Short Story Prize and the 2010 Sean O'Faolain short story competition.
She is also the founder and editor of The Short Review, (www.theshortreview.com), a site dedicated to reviewing short story collections.
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Rachel Bellerby works for Young Writer magazine and, as a freelance journalist, has written more than 300 articles, specialising in history and genealogy.
She is the author of two non-fiction books: Tracing Your Yorkshire Ancestors and Chasing the Sixpence.
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Victoria Lee has had a long career in children's publishing. At Reed Children's Books, she was Publishing Manager for Picture Books & Fiction, then Picture Books Editor. She has herself written a fair few picture books for titles conceived and produced in-house - so she knows the challenge involved in writing such things.
Victoria lives in a tiny sixteenth-century terraced house in Warwickshire and, in her spare time, enjoys tending her cottage garden.
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Debi Alper is the author of Nirvana Bites and Trading Tatiana, both published by Orion. These are the first two books in a series of thrillers set in the Nirvana housing co-op in Peckham. Quirky and offbeat, Debi's books feature characters from the sub-cultures, giving human faces to the stereotypes. "With compassion, humour and a strong sense of social justice Alper takes us for a walk away from the mainstream and into the seedier, needier, weirder side of London." Cath Staincliffe.
Debi is also an experienced editor, workshop leader and creative writing mentor and loves being involved in the gestation of other authors' creations. She is a founder member of the East Dulwich Writers' Group, now in its tenth year and with over a hundred local writers on the email list. The group is about to publish its first anthology, Hoovering the Roof, which includes an extract from Debi's fourth book, Me, John and a Bomb. |
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Anastasia Parkes has an MA in English Literature from Oxford and presently works as a part-time legal clerk for a firm of criminal defence lawyers, a portrait photographer, a 'host mother' for foreign students, and an occasional housewife. She is also a freelance features writer and has published opinion, human interest and health pieces in national newspapers such as The Times, The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, The Independent, The Tablet, The Lady, and You And Your Baby magazine.
Heavily disguised under the pseudonym Primula Bond she has written three erotic novels for Virgin Books and numerous short stories for their anthologies. She has just contracted to publish her first single author collection of erotic short stories for Xcite Books.
When she's not working on her first collection of literary short stories Anastasia gives editorial and marketing advice to aspiring erotic and romantic writers for the Writers' Workshop. |
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Fiona Shaw is the author of one memoir and three novels. Her memoir Out of Me (Penguin) was written in the wake of a severe postnatal breakdown, was shortlisted for the MIND prize, and is now required reading for a range of health professionals from doctors to social workers.
Fiona's first novels, The Sweetest Thing (Virago) and The Picture She Took (Virago) are both literary historical novels. Her third novel, Tell it to the Bees (Tindal Street) was published in May 2009. Although it is set in the 1950s, it wears the time very lightly. It is a three-handed story told through the eyes of two women and a boy; partly a love story and partly an exploration of a child's experience of the break-up of his parents' marriage.
Fiona has just finished a two-year stint as Royal Literary Fellow at the University of York, and has worked for Clare Alexander at Gillon Aitken Assocs. She lives in York with her partner and two daughters. |
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Dexter Petley has published four critically acclaimed novels: Little Nineveh, Joyride, White Lies, and One True Void, with Polygon, Fourth Estate and Two Ravens Press. White Lies was longlisted for the Dublin IMPAC and shortlisted for the Dazed&Confused award for Most Promising Writer 2003. He also translated The Fishing Box by Maurice Genevoix from the original French (shortlisted for the Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize) and was for several years a regular contributor to Waterlog magazine for which he was voted New Angling Writer of the Year 2005.
Dexter is editor of Powerlines, an anthology of new writing due in November 2009 and contributed to the best selling Caught By the River anthology published in June 2009. He is an experienced fiction editor and copy editor and has ghostwritten several autobiographies and novels.
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Richard Blandford is the author of Hound Dog (Jonathan Cape), described as "Phoenix Nights meets American Psycho. In Cambridge" by Kevin Sampson, author of Powder.
Hound Dog is a novel of redemption and rock'n'roll, masturbation and morality. The Observer described it as, "Slick, efficient and faintly nasty, this novel croons indie Brit-flick." The TV rights to Hound Dog have been sold to GRD Productions.
Richard's second novel is Flying Saucer Rock and Roll (Cape, 2008), called "one of the few great novels about being in a rock band" by Scott Pack, former head buyer of Waterstones. |
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Val Gray is the author of four novels, all published by Headline, all historical thrillers of a literary bent: Guardians of the Key, The Roaring of the Labyrinth, Envoy of the Black Pin, and The Brotherhood of Five. Guardians of the Key was the recipient of the 2004 Harry Bowling Prize.
Clio also has a collection of short stories out; Types of Everlasting Rest published by Two Ravens Press, each individual story of which has won an award of one kind or another, the most prestigious being the Scotsman/Orange 2006 for 'I should have listened harder...'. |
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Rebecca Horsfall is the author of Dancing on Thorns, a character-driven page turner published by Random House, centering on the world of ballet. Elle Magazine has described her as the new Jilly Cooper.
Rebecca worked, on and off, for more than a decade for a West End producer as a script supervisor and assistant producer before writing what The Bookseller described as "736 unputdownable pages of pure delight". She has done office work, theatre directing, teaching, theatrical management - as well as working in a microbiology lab. She has been happily married for 15 years. |
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| Emma Shipley is assistant editor at Writing Magazine and Writers' News. She has worked as a freelance journalist for over 20 women's magazines, contributed exclusive news stories to several national newspapers, and written features for Yorkshire Today and Yorkshire Ridings. She has also worked for the Radio Times and written daily news stories for websites. |
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Matthew Hill is the editor of Young Writer, the magazine dedicated to young people with a passion for writing stories and poetry. His editor role at Warners Group Publications also includes the tiles Scottish Memories and Stamp & Coin Mart.
Before working for Warners Group Publications, Matt worked as a film critic for the Press Association and has also had features published in a variety of magazines as a freelance writer. He began his journalism career working on a popular website for teenagers, which involved supporting young people with contributions and editing. |
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From the team
Message from our CEO
We've received thousands of entries!
The deadline has now passed, and we're over the moon about the popularity of the first ever Brit Writers' Awards.
Read the BWA team blog...
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