PONTAS & JJ BOLA EMERGING WRITERS PRIZE
Pontas Literary & Film Agency and JJ Bola are partnering to create a mentoring prize for unagented, unpublished, under-represented writers.
The winner will receive a 1,000 GBP grant to support their writing, mentoring from JJ Bola and Maria Cardona and representation from the Pontas Literary & Film Agency.
“I’m very excited to partner with my literary agency, Pontas, to bring forward this amazing opportunity for unsigned, unpublished, and underrepresented writers in the publishing industry aspiring for a professional writing career. We’re looking for a brilliant new voice, with a meaningful story who is passionate about their craft.
I never dreamt I could be a writer – I just followed something that I stumbled upon and fell in love with. Writing has changed my life, and I was incredibly lucky to be discovered by and sign with Pontas back in 2016 but I know not everyone is afforded such serendipity. So, this prize is a way of giving back what was offered to me, but with the extra support of a financial remuneration and mentorship. I encourage all who fit the profile to apply, and to not be discouraged by the result if you aren’t selected. Keep hope, keep faith, keep writing. And good luck!” —JJ Bola
The prize is open to writers from Black, ethnic minority, LGBTQ+ and working class backgrounds who are currently working on a novel. The writers can be based anywhere in the world as long as their work is written in English.
Writers must submit the three chapters of their unpublished novel, even if it’s not finished, along with a full synopsis and a comprehensive biography before March 15th, 2021 by email to submissions@pontas-agency.com. The novels submitted do not need to be completed at the time of submission.
A shortlist of five emerging writers will be announced on May 15th, and the winner on June 1st, 2021. The winner and shortlistees of the prize will be selected by literary agents Anna Soler-Pont and Maria Cardona, and established writer JJ Bola based entirely on their assessment of the writing.
Read here for more details and the T&C’s.
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