Esther Chilton

Do you enjoy writing for children? Ever thought about writing a picture book? Writing Magazine are holding a competition with a fantastic prize – a lunch consultation with top children’s fiction agent Julia Churchill, a year’s subscription to Writing Magazine and £200. There are also second and third place prizes.

Here’s what they have to say:

‘The picture book industry is very competitive and although there are many prizes for new talent in the children’s fiction category, there is currently little available for aspiring picture book writers. Being passionate about inspiring and encouraging new writers, Writing Magazine, author Amy Sparkes and literary agent Julia Churchill launced this award to highlight new talent and help open doors into the world of publishers and agents.

New picture book authors are important to the industry as fresh voices and imagination keep picture books fun and dynamic. Yet it can be very difficult to break into this area of publishing. Picture books are very expensive to produce, and sometimes there can be reluctance to invest in unknown authors. This can particularly be the case with rhyming picture books, which can be harder to sell internationally. The Picture Book Prize aims to raise the profile of picture book writers.’

There is a £5 entry fee and the closing date is 31st October 2019. Entries with a maximum of 800 words are invited. To find out more, visit the competition page.

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