Call for entries from debutant novelists
dubai — The Montegrappa Writing Prize, launched by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in 2013, is once again offering the UAE residents a platform for their writing careers. But this year, competition is tougher than ever.
Entries for the prize are welcome until January 19, 2018, and the competition is broadening its reach, with first-time novelists from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia are also entitled to enter.
If you’re an unpublished writer over the age of 21, all you have to do is submit a 400-word synopsis of the book as well as the first 2,000 words of the nearly-completed manuscript.
If it catches the eyes of this year’s judging panel, the winning author will be given the opportunity to discuss their manuscript with international literary agent Luigi Bonomi, founder of Luigi Bonomi Associates (LBA), for possible publishing.
LBA represents a variety of authors, including Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond, journalist John Humphrys, and previous festival authors Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley.
As well as a tête-à-tête with Bonomi, the winner of the competition will win a host of prizes including a two-night stay at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai, a copy of the current Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and a Montegrappa Limited Edition Writing Instrument.
“We feel the time is right to expand the reach of the competition and tap into the writing potential of the region,” said Isobel Abulhoul, OBE, CEO and trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation and director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
“The success of the Montegrappa Writing Prize has been easy to judge — eight past winners from the UAE have already signed book deals with international publishers. Imagine the latent talents we can discover in the rest of the region. So, no more excuses. Finish your manuscript, enter the competition, and start your writing journey today.’
Earlier this year, 23-year-old British expat Rebekah Heaney was crowned the winner, and it was a last minute entry that saw her clinch the prize for her novel, What We Learnt at Number 9. The general premise of the book revolved around a woman in her mid-60’s who is dying of a terminal illness. After putting an advertisement in the paper urging readers to divulge their biggest secrets to her — she promises to take them to her grave. And it’s an experience, which changes the last few moments of her life.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com