We’ve pulled together feedback from editors who will be assessing the applications to WriteNow 2020, which is open for applications until midnight on Sunday 31st May.
Here are our top tips for what makes an excellent application.
Don’t try too hard
Some of the best writers kept it simple. They weren’t overly descriptive with language and didn’t use too many adjectives or adverbs. This made the story feel more natural.
The best writing had something fresh and new about it – maybe an unusual setting, or a different way of telling a familiar story. The best stories didn’t overdo this, and weren’t too complex. Often the simplest stories with fundamentally human themes are the most engaging.
Choose the right extract
Think about how you can find a 1,000 word sample which is representative of the book as a whole, and which ideally clearly links to the synopsis (this helps to avoid confusion).
Try not to start at a point in the book where there are lots of characters who haven’t been introduced, and don’t feel that you need to use the full extract space. A shorter extract that ends after a clear, well-drawn scene is better than having to include a paragraph of your next chapter to fill space.