Mumsnet Talk

Don't know why I'm telling you lot about this as I'm entering!

Details are here.

May the best woman win!

<Hurries back to her desk emoticon>

Well you don't have to worry about me as I have only written a page of my novel

You have till September, Zoidberg! Get going!

Thanks, Imperial - I've entered!

Me too, MrsSchadenfreude! I was driving home last night and nearly crashed as I thought I'd missed the deadline!

Have you tried to place your book before, or is it one you've just finished?

IB - no. I finished it a couple of years ago but too apathetic to do much with it. Am 3/4 of the way through the second one now, but a bit stuck.

Want some help with it? What's the problem - plot, characters? Did you write a story arc? Did you plan it in advance or hope you'd find your way to the end?

Hi Mrs Schadenfreude - have you heard anything yet?

No, but I think they said they would let people know at the end of October if they wanted to see the whole novel. We're not quite there yet!

Re my second novel, it's technical, I'm afraid, hence the apathy. There's a problem with my laptop - I need to get word for Mac and crack on with it on my new MacBook. I am being lazy - it really would only take a couple of weeks of hard graft to get it finished. It's set in Poland, and I haven't visited there for years, so think I need to go back to Gdansk for a long weekend as the novel goes from 1980s Poland (when I lived there) to present day, just to be sure of my facts/the ambience.

I will set you a challenge to finish it by the end of November!

You can check your facts after the first draft's finished, can't you?

Bollocks.

The website says, "The competition is closed. Longlisted novelists have now been contacted for their full manuscripts, and shortlisted entrants will be informed in January of their progression in the competition."

Have I heard? No! Bastards!

Any news, Mrs S?

No, but not terribly surprised.

I've never liked Mslexia.



Well, at least we tried! We couldn't have won if we hadn't entered. <sob>