Launch your writing career – with Grazia’s First Chapter competition
Now in its 11th year, the Grazia and Women’s Prize for Fiction First Chapter competition could be the start of your literary career
IF LOCKDOWN wasn’t the moment to start that novel (and that’s understandable), then here’s the push you might need. Our First Chapter competition – in partnership with the Women’s Prize for Fiction – is your chance to kick-start a writing career.
Dorothy Koomson, the award-winning, millions-selling author of The Ice Cream Girls, All My Lies Are True and upcoming
I Know What You’ve Done, has written the opening paragraph of a story – and we want you to finish the first chapter. It can go in any direction you like, just keep to between 800 and 1,000 words and send it to us by 20 April.
The winner will join us at the glittering Women’s Prize for Fiction awards party in London on 7 July (restrictions allowing), where their talent will be acknowledged in front of the biggest names in literature.
THE STORY SO FAR
Dorothy Koomson has started the story – now it’s up to you to finish the opening chapter.
When I Fell
I’m very good at pretending I believe in love. No one can tell that I don’t. I can act as if a ‘special someone’ makes my heart flutter; I convincingly swoon at other people’s romantic joy. I even rustle up tears when a relationship ends. But my heart is a patchwork of honour badges, each stitched over a scar from believing in love before. So being a love sceptic keeps me safe and pain free. And then I fell down those stone steps near Brighton Pier. A stumble, a trip and several sharp bounces down, and there I was at the bottom. Agonised and humiliated. Too ashamed to move. BW was there too.
HOW TO ENTER
Continuing Dorothy’s story, write your first chapter (800-1,000 words), and send it to us along with a short biography (200 words max), plus your address, email, phone number, occupation and date of birth. Read our terms and conditions*, then enter online at graziamagazine.co.uk/firstchapter by 20 April.
WHAT YOU’LL WIN
The winner will have their full chapter published in Grazia and receive a year’s mentoring from Dorothy Koomson and a goodie bag. They will also pick up their award at the Women’s Prize for Fiction ceremony, planned for 7 July in London. Two finalists will have their chapters published on graziadaily.co.uk, and all three will receive the six Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021 shortlisted books.