Youwriteon

YouWriteOn was launched in January 2006 as an innovative scheme to help new writers get published. It is sponsored by the Arts Council of England.

Members of the site upload the opening chapters of their novels to be peer reviewed and rated based on a variety of criteria: character, plot, pace & structure, use of language, narrative voice, dialogue, setting, theme & ideas.

On the first day of each month the five highest rated chapters receive a free professional critique. The best are then forwarded to the London agencies Curtis Brown (literary agents) and Christopher Little (JK Rowling ’s agent). [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4810398.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Chart champions unsigned writers ] ] Due to the success of the YouWriteOn, various other organizations have set up similar sites along the same lines, most notably the publisher HarperCollins which is launching their own version – authonomy.com – in 2008. [ [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article702673.ece?token=null&offset=12 Shockers of the new - Times Online ] ] [ [http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/11743 booktrade.info - Book Trade Announcements - Friday Project Signs Nursery Rhyme-Noir Novel ] ]

Literary professionals

The literary professionals involved with the site include:

* Novelists: Phil Whittaker and Martyn Bedford
* Editors: Gillian Stern (Curtis Brown), Sara O’Keefe (Orion), Michael Legat (Corgi, Cassell)
* Agents: Joanna Devereux, Mellissa Weatherill (Pollinger Ltd, London)

Book of the Year award

At the end of each year, YouWriteOn's literary professionals judge the best opening chapters from the previous twelve months and choose six winners: three in the adult fiction category, three in the children's fiction.

2007 award

* Overall winner: Guy Saville for "The Africa Reich"
* 2nd Place: Patricia Delois, "The Bufflehead Sisters"
* 3rd Place: Michael Alan, "The Lorelei Effect"

* Children’s fiction, winner: Justine Windsor for "Charlie Squires goes Elsewhere"
* 2nd Place: Sarah Star, "Sharpshooter"
* 3rd Place: Bob Burke, "The Third Pig Detective Agency" [ [http://www.thebookseller.co.uk/in-depth/feature/47161-the-slush-pile-goes-online.html theBookseller.com ] ]

2008 award

Winners:
* Overall winner: Trilby Kent for "Smoke Portrait" [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7269607.stm BBC NEWS | England | Dorset | Dorset writer wins web book award ] ]
* 2nd Place: Barbara Galvin, "A Penny On The Tracks"
* 3rd Place: Patricia Delois, "Penguins In Amsterdam"

Runners Up:
* "A Monster in the Mirror" by Nick Poole
* "The Armchair Bride" by Mo Fanning
* "The Sorrowless Field" by Perry Iles
* "Spinebender" by Oliver Conway
* "Coombe's Wood" by Lisa C Hinsley
* "The Long Drop Goodbye" by Jimmy Bain
* "Franklin's Orb" by Derek Haycock
* "Somniac" by Andrew Wood
* "Rendail" by Jo Reed

Children's fiction:
* Children’s fiction winner: Wai Ian Mo for "Tiger-Mouse"
* 2nd Place: David Wardale, "Get Santa"
* 3rd Place: Edwain Gorty, "The Scream Park"

Runners Up:
* "The Misfits" by Benjamin Twemlow
* "Money Money Money" by Linda Webbern
* "Misericordia - The Magog Strikes Back" by Steve Hartley
* "Rising Fire" by Lexi Revellian [http://www.lexirevellian.com/]
* "The Starstiller" by Gee Askew

Successes

Book of the Year (2007) finalist Douglas Jackson won a six-figure, two-book deal for his novel "The Emperor’s Elephant". It will be published by Transworld in 2008. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6336701.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Online book award winners named ] ] Third place winner in the children’s category (2007), Bob Burke, secured a deal with The Friday Project for his book "The Third Pig Detective Agency". "The Bufflehead Sisters" by 2nd place runner-up (2007) Patricia Delois was the #1 recommended novel in Maine Sunday Telegram's '10 must reads for Christmas', and was described as 'the most stunning work of imagination published by a Maine author this year'. [ [http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2189676,00.html The bookseller: Oct 13 | Review | guardian.co.uk Books ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.youwriteon.com/ You Write On Home Page]
* [http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/ Curtis Brown]
* [http://www.christopherlittle.net/ Christopher Little]
* [http://www.africareich.com/ Africa Reich]