The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

Presented by Hachette Australia, The Guardian Australia and The Emerging Writers’ Festival

About the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

Hachette Australia, along with the Richell family, is honoured to launch the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for 2020, in partnership with The Guardian Australia and The Emerging Writers’ Festival.

The Prize is once again open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction. Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must intend to complete one. The Prize will be judged on the first three chapters of the submitted work, along with a synopsis outlining the direction of the proposed work and detail about how the author’s writing career would benefit from winning the Prize.

As a writer myself, I know from personal experience how writing can offer escape and connection during times of disruption, pain and change. My hope is that this Prize might find its way to those of you drawn to explore your creativity and writing craft in this particularly extraordinary year. If you think you have a manuscript inside of you and the commitment and desire to see it through to publication, this is the Prize for you. Let us help you make it happen. Be brave. Submit your work. We can’t wait to read it.’ – Hannah Richell, bestselling author of SECRETS OF THE TIDES and THE RIVER HOME

The winner will receive $10,000 in prize money, to be donated by Hachette Australia, and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers. Hachette Australia will work with the winning writer to develop their manuscript with first option to consider the finished work, and the shortlisted entries, for publication.

As well as promoting the Prize, The Guardian Australia will publish an extract of the first chapter of the winning work on its website. The prize will also be supported by Simpson Solicitors and Joy.

The Richell Prize was established in memory of Hachette Australia’s CEO, Matt Richell, who died suddenly in 2014.

How Will the Prize Be Judged?

The 2020 judging panel includes Vanessa Radnidge, Hachette Australia publisher; Hannah Richell, bestselling author; Jon Page, bookseller at Dymocks Sydney and Galina Marinov, Member Services Development Manager at the Australian Booksellers Association.

The applications will be judged on three main criteria:

  • The writing – make sure that you are telling an original story that you have a burning desire to share.
  • The synopsis – give us a brief summary of the plot, major characters, themes and settings in the book and a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the rest of the book.
  • Tell us how winning the Prize will help you further your writing career.

About the Mentorship with Hachette

The winner will receive a 12-month mentorship with a publisher at Hachette Australia. The format of this will depend on the winning writer but you can expect to receive an assessment of the three chapters that you’ve submitted, feedback on your writing style, a discussion around who your target audience might be and regular phone calls to check in on your writing progress. Your mentor will read your work at regular intervals. While Hachette is not offering a publication deal as part of the Prize, we’d love to mentor the winner through to a stage where we both feel comfortable discussing publication opportunities.

This Prize brings together a group of people who know what a huge supporter of emerging writers Matt Richell was. Without the writers there would be no Prize – so be brave and submit your work.

HOW IT WORKS

PRIZE
Winning Entry: $10,000 and a 12 month mentorship with Hachette Australia

WHAT TO SUBMIT
Entries must be saved as a single PDF, comprised of the following:

  • The first three chapters of the work with a maximum word length of 20,000 words;
  • A one-page synopsis;
  • A chapter breakdown of the rest of the work, no more than two A4 pages long;

You will also need to write a statement up to 750 words about how winning the prize will further your writing career, to be entered in the online form at the time of submission. Click here to read the submission guidelines. Still got questions? Check out our FAQs here.

IMPORTANT 2020 DATES

  • Opening date for entries: Friday 3 April
  • Closing date for entries: 11:59pm AEST Friday 10 July
  • Longlist announced: Friday 7 September
  • Shortlist announced: Monday 5 October
  • Winner announced: Friday 6 November
ELIGIBILITY

Any Australian resident aged 18 or older who has not had their work published by a commercial publishing house. Please read the Terms & Conditions for full eligibility requirements and submission guidelines. There is a limit of one entry per person. All entries will be judged anonymously, so please do not include your name anywhere in the submitted manuscript file (including the file name) or as a result your entry will be deemed ineligible.

Enter Here

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