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2012 Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Prize

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Closing date: 
28 October 2011
Entry: 
Entry fee £15 per poem
Prize: 
First Prize: £10,000 advance + publication by Chicken House worldwide.

The 2012 Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Prize

Deadline: 28 October 2011

Eligibility: anyone aged 18 or over, worldwide

Entry fee £15 per poem

First Prize: £10,000 advance + publication by Chicken House worldwide.

The only prize of its kind, with the winner being offered a worldwide publishing deal with Chicken House, the independent-minded publishing company run by Barry Cunningham, who is widely credited with discovering J K Rowling, and is highly regarded for his ability to spot and nurture new talent. The prize also includes an offer of representation from Christopher Little, Rowling's agents. The aim is to find a talented new children’s author, and an exciting new novel.

The winner will be the entrant whose story, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates the greatest entertainment value, quality and originality. The prize is the offer of a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House, with a royalty advance of £10,000, subject to a signed contract.

Launching it, judge Michelle Paver, the creator of Wolf Brother, said: “When I was an unpublished writer – and I was, for 16 years while working full-time in the City – competitions gave me something to aim for. They also gave me an assurance that one of those godlike beings in the 'publishing world' would actually read what I’d written.”

As well as Paver and Cunningham, the judges for this year's award are Amanda Craig, children’s book critic, The Times; Sean Edwards, children’s and young people’s librarian; Nikki Gamble, Director of Write Away and Just Imagine; Melissa Cox, Waterstone’s Children’s Fiction Buyer; Steve Potter, Commercial Trading Manager, The Book Depository; Neil Blair, partner, Christopher Little Literary Agency

Commercial and literary full-length fiction and non-fiction. No poetry, plays, science fiction, fantasy, textbooks, illustrated children's or short stories.

Check the site for submission details.

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; Mavis Sarfo, Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Buyer; and Hannah Warren, age 15, Chicken House’s teen reader.

The Chicken House reading team will select a longlist of 20 entries by January 2, 2012, which will be published on the Chicken House website (doublecluck.com) and at thetimes.co.uk/chickenhouse. Each of the selected authors will be notified and will receive editorial advice. A shortlist of five entries will be announced by Chicken House and The Times in February 2012. The winner will be announced in spring 2012.

Because of the large number of entries and substantial administration costs, an entry fee of £15 is now charged.


Find out about the competition here.

Submission guidelines

Closing date: 
28 October 2011
Entry: 
Entry fee £15 per poem
Prize: 
First Prize: £10,000 advance + publication by Chicken House worldwide.