Curtis Brown First Novel Competition

[HollowTalk]

Did anyone submit to this? Have you heard anything? I know someone who sent in an entry who's wondering whether the shortlist has been made yet.

[TrafalgarSquare]

Yes it was amazing.

[Zilla1]

Did anyone read the first 500 words of the winner?

[thenewname]

Yes, I think I will nudge nicely on monday. Time to send out a raft of new submissions! And I think carry on with this book (yesterday I was all ‘what’s the POINT’ etc, haha).

[sunshine987]

So true, its a lot of entries and from what I read on twitter, it seemed that they spent ages making the final decision, so it could have been very very close.

Let's not lose heart, keep writing and remember it takes just one agent to love your work and want to publish it!

[sunshine987]

Hiya I think it might be good to give a gentle nudge, two months seems quite long x

[TalentedMsRipley]

Me neither. But 3000 entries! (Pathetically, I was really chuffed last month when my short story was longlisted out of a mere 'nearly 300'.) 😩

[IndefatigableMouse]

*there too

[IndefatigableMouse]

Tricky, I’m not good at knowing when to nudge! I’ve got one there two but hasn’t been there that long yet

[thenewname]

Oh dear I’m not either.

I have another full ms WITH a Curtis brown agent, one who was involved in the competition. She’s had it for two months with no reply, judging by query tracker she always responds. I didn’t want to chase her while i had this new entry in the comp... should I do that now do you think?

[IndefatigableMouse]

Over 3000 entries so you can see how competitive it was. No shame in not placing.

[IndefatigableMouse]

The longlist is up! (I’m not on it)

[thenewname]

Are they putting the shortlist up on the website do you know?

[sunshine987]

Exactly guys, it would have been good just to have an email: 'thank you for your entry, but...' just for closure :)
Let's stay positive and keep writing xx remember all the rejections jk Rowling got!!

Take care everyone and all the best xx

[TalentedMsRipley]

They could have released a long list though! To help give some people a little surge of joy. 😬

[TalentedMsRipley]

There are lots of other competitions, if you Google. (Not always free!)

[IndefatigableMouse]

Same here. Bah!

[thenewname]

Eugh, I just went and found the tweet, and the Thursday news sounds pretty conclusive (someone had emailed them and asked them!)

Such a long straw but I feel so cast down!

[TalentedMsRipley]

Ive long since given up thinking about. Even though I'm writing on this thread. 🤪

[sunshine987]

I think on twitter someone said it will come out today, but it does say September for the shortlist on their website which technically could include Monday too!

[TalentedMsRipley]

Not me! Anyone else?

[sunshine987]

Hi just wondered if anyone has heard anything re this yet please?

[sunshine987]

that's so true!! :)

[TalentedMsRipley]

Oooh..never look back at what you sent!

[sunshine987]

Happy to have found this thread-I entered too!
But I keep looking through what I sent, and finding more things I could/should have changed..:O

All the best to everyone here :)
x

[IndefatigableMouse]

Oooh interesting!