Earlyworks Press Fiction for Children or Teens Competition

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the entry details page first - most of the questions we have been asked are already answered there.

Formatting the Manuscript

Q Does it have to be typed in double or single line spacing?

A Double, please - on one side of A4 paper, in a clear font.

Q Do I need to include my name/the title/contact details on everything?

A You should have your name and the title of the work on everything, and your contact details on the letter, the synopsis or proposal, and the cover sheet of your manuscript.

Q in your rules, you state... 'Authors may enter more than one manuscript. Entries will be judged separately and anonymously.' Yet in your Q&A's you say that everything should have your name on it. Does that include a footer/header on each pg of ms, as one would for a normal submission, or do you want entries to only have their name on the cover sheet, letter, synopsis?

A Please prepare your submission exactly as you would for a publisher. Your entries will go initially to the competition administrator and, if necessary, personal details will be removed before the entries are passed to the competition readers.

Planning your Entry

Q What should I put in the accompanying letter/synopsis?

A Do exactly as you would do if sending a manuscript to a publisher - a short covering letter, giving the title, length and intended readership of the story. The synopsis does not need to be a complete plot outline. Just enough to give the readers an idea how it goes. In most cases, the synopsis should fit comfortably onto one page of A4. Don't make it more than two - but do your work justice. Show the reader why people will want to read your book.

Q What is the difference between a synopsis and a proposal?

A A synopsis is rather like the blurb on the back of a book - a description and a 'taster' to attract the reader. A proposal is a more businesslike document - it outlines what your book is about but also who the potential readers are, what format the book should take and why it is likely to be successful.

Q Which should I write, a synopsis or a proposal?

A That's up to you. If your book is a 'concept book', depending on illustrations, a particular design or an unusual market, or if it does not fit into a well-known genre, you probably need to write a proposal.

NB If you are still unsure how to go about the covering letter and synopsis/proposal, have a look around some writers' club and publishers' websites - there is lots of good advice out there. 

Q  I have a couple of very talented illustrator friends who I would love to collaborate with on the project. Would I be able to, and if I can, should I send in their work with my manuscript?

A  I can imagine some publishers, used to doing their own book design, might find it a distraction but we at Earlyworks Press are very interested in writer/artist collaborations so the answer is yes. You would need to write a proposal rather than just a synopsis, including some thumbnail illustrations and something about why you think the words and the pictures work together.

Sending your entry and fee

Q What if I don't have a Paypal account?

A You can still pay via the Paypal button, using your credit card. If you don't want to pay online, you can send a cheque or postal order.

Q Can I pay online and send my entry by post?

A Yes.

Q Can I pay by cheque and email my entry to you?

A Yes.

Q How much will postage cost?

A Please get your package weighed at the Post Office to check this. In every competition, our local sorting office holds up several dozen entries because of insufficient postage. Whether we pay their fee to pick up these entries depends entirely on how much spare time and petty cash we have. Don't risk wasting your efforts!

About the Prizes

Q  Why is there a choice of two first prizes, and how do I know which one I would win?

A  The choice is between a cash prize and a small press publication contract with a £100 advance. There are two reasons why we've left our options open here:

Firstly, the winner may not want a small press contract - if he or she gets a report from the competition readers suggesting that their novel may be just what the mainstream publishers are looking for at the moment, they may prefer to take the money and try their luck with a bigger publishing house. 

Secondly, if a publishing contract is offered, it will come from Earlyworks Press or Circaidy Gregory Press. If the winning entry does not fit either of those lists, we wouldn't be helping the author by taking on a title we can't market effectively. The author would be better off taking the kudos of a competition win and the cash to give them the time and resources for more writing and more submissions.

Q  What is the difference between small press and mainstream publication?

A  The short answer is 'size'. Earlyworks Press and Circaidy Gregory Press are very small concerns. A single-author title is handled in the same way as a mainstream book would be - a royalty contract with the author, a perfect bound book with an ISBN number and a marketing drive to get the book into shops and libraries - but it is all on a modest scale. You will get the experience of working with an editor, a cash advance, a book launch, royalty cheques and the satisfaction of seeing your book in the shops and on the library shelves, and you will be able to enter all those competitions and societies that are for 'published authors only' - but we will be working in hundreds of copies rather than thousands or millions. You are not likely to be able to retire on the proceeds!

Other Queries

Q What if I enter the competition then get an agent before the results are declared?

A That shouldn't be a problem - the entries won't be seen by anyone other than the judges but if you wish, you can withdraw from the competition at any time. If you didn't withdraw, got an agent and then won the competition, you could choose to go for the cash prize rather than the publication contract then your work will remain available for your agent to place.

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