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The annual Hachette Children’s Novel Award will now be awarded to two winners rather than one as part of a three-year partnership between Hachette Children’s Group and New Writing North that continues the organisations’ existing work together.
The 2023 round of the prize is open until 10th March to unpublished manuscripts of middle-grade fiction by debut children’s authors based in the north. Full details on how to apply can be found here.
Each winning writer will receive a £3,000 cash prize alongside a nine-month programme of mentoring opportunities with Hachette Children’s Group and a children’s publishing agent. That will include professional development sessions in the areas of editorial and design, sales, marketing and rights.
They will also enter the Northern Writers’ Awards Talent Network to benefit from New Writing North support, membership of the Society of Authors and networking opportunities.
Since 2018, the award has been a key strand in the Northern Writers’ Awards, which supports new unpublished work.
The award has led to the publication of The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory (Hodder Children’s Books, 2021) and Happytown Must Be Destroyed (Hodder Children’s Books, 2022) by James Harris; Zeina Starborn and the Sky Whale (Orion Children’s Books, 2022) and Zeina Starborn and the Emerald King (Orion Children’s Books, July 2023) by Hannah Durkan; and Lily Grim and the City of Undone by Andy Ruffell (Hodder Children’s Books, May 2023).
Children’s author Rachel Faturoti, literary agent Lauren Gardner, Hachette Children’s Group’s senior commissioning editor Polly Lyall Grant and New Writing North senior programme manager Will Mackie will judge this year’s award.
Faturoti said: “I am very excited to be on the judging panel. The publishing industry can feel like a well-guarded secret and schemes such as this one provide writers with the opportunity to interact directly with a publisher and agent—and they’re able to attend professional development sessions too.”
Mackie said: "We’re delighted to be extending and enhancing an already wonderful relationship with Hachette Children’s Group. The Hachette Children’s Novel Award is a flagship opportunity within our portfolio, standing as New Writing North’s and Hachette’s commitment to the long-term development of children’s writing in our region. Our shared value-driven approach will offer a new flock of writers transformational and multidimensional support from leading industry professionals. It’s been a real joy to see James, Hannah and Andy flourish and I’m looking forward to us discovering another six amazing writers over the next three years."