Got a novel in you? Here's your chance to get published

[KateMumsnet]

First novel competition: If you think you've got a novel in you, but despair of ever being published, stand by: in partnership with renowned literary agency Janklow & Nesbit, we're launching a fantastic competition for unpublished novelists.

Submit the first 8,000 words of your novel - Janklow & Nesbit guarantee to read every single entry. One enormous stumbling block to getting published is simply being noticed - so this really is an amazing opportunity.

The fantastic prize on offer is representation by J&N - setting you firmly on the path to publication: get details of how to enter here.

If you'd like to enter, but could use a bit of bespoke advice, we've organised a one-day Get Published course on Saturday 29 November 2014, where you'll have the chance to pick the brains of the Janklow agents and leading editors - and pick up tips from authors who've already broken through.

What are you waiting for?

Turns out it Is by midnight 30/1:)

Thank you bluecoconut. I will do the same since others are too. Sadly, I am a nobody as well.

As for the synopsis, summarised writing is what I'm good at. I can't write beautiful descriptions or long prose so I struggled to reach 25K words in my novel. But then it is children's fiction, and I'm hoping that it suits the current trend in children's books.

Is it alright to use italics in the text? Or does it have to be underlined instead. And is it necessary to use a fixed width font like Courier or is Times New Roman ok? Have googled but there's so much conflicting information.

Do we have until 23:59 tomorrow night to submit? Or does it need to be submitted by 23:59 tonight?!

Yes I know, lastminute.com!

Oops, that wasn't meant to be an actual link! lol

Submitted (tis crap)

Well, I've submitted mine. I swear it's taken me three days to write the bloody synopsis...

I've sent mine too. The title was the hardest for me- took me a whole day to thing of

I sent mine today. Shall we have a bet about how many entries they get? Upwards of 100? 200? More?

For those of you who have submitted, did you receive an auto reply after notification, or did someone send a confirmation later?

I got an auto reply straightaway. Might be worth checking your junk / spam file.

I submitted mine late last night. I hadn't thought of the title so had to make up something at the last minute. It's really, really crap. The title that is, I'm hoping the rest is alright.

Emilywrites, I got an auto reply.

Thanks, Rollermum. You were right; it was in my spam folder.

Well that's my submission away. I had an automated acknowledgement immediately.

Good luck everybody.

Ah, deadline day. Why do I always leave it to the last minute..? I know it says 8000 words, but if my chapter ends at 8,300 I'm assuming it's ok to send the extra 300 words? Or did everyone else exactly 8000, no matter where it ends?

Good luck everyone.

Have to finalise synopsis and then press send. Can those who've submitted remind me where they put their name and MW name?

I wasn't sure about that Tooting, I erred on the side of caution and did a bit less then 8000 (a sensible not-the-middle-of-a-sentence ending) but if I'd had a chapter ending at 300 over I'd have gone with the 8300.

Mine has now gone. I need paracetamol or possibly gin

Now to try to put that much effort into the next 8000 words before the momentum wears off.

Wonder if MNHQ can tell us how many entries after close of business today. Would be interested to know. Many I suspect.

Oh my just saw this! Where did you submit?

Did anyone put a word count on their title page? I'm wondering whether to put up my total word count (3900 - its a middle grade story) or just leave it.

zinher, look here for how to submit www.mumsnet.com/books/janklow-nesbit-writing-competition

Sent mine in last night, left it in the middle of the chapter, but was able to tie in the chapter ending and keep it under 8000 words. It did create a bit of a cliffhanger, which was unintentional but it was okay I think. Spent the day thinking about all the bits I missed out, shouldn't have put in and lay awake thinking about a sentence I tweaked and shouldn't have. Obviously suffering for my art

Done, for what it's worth. Would also love to know how many entries there have been.

Mine ended with someone being sick. So not quite a cliffhanger. I'd be interested to know how many entries they had, and how many they read beyond the first page. I did my synopsis very quickly, hope it wasn't too dullsville.

And what happens if the person who wins never manages to write more than the first 8,000 words?