Slush Pile Challenge - July 2013


We are pleased to announce the July 2013 Slush Pile Challenge

This time the challenge has been set for Picture Book Writers & Illustrators from Sarah Frost at Hodder Children's Books


Sarah Frost is a commissioning editor at Hodder Children's Books and has worked in the picture book world for over ten years. Before Hodder, she edited and managed picture books, baby books and novelty titles at Macmillan and Caterpillar Books. She enjoys working with new and established authors, developing innovative novelty concepts, and helping to build brilliant picture books into successful series.</


THE CHALLENGE: A picture book text or dummy in PDF form - 500 words or under that celebrates the relationship between mother and child and would make the perfect Mother's Day gift. 

Or a picture book text / dummy in PDF form of 500 words or under that celebrates the relationship between father and child and would make the perfect Father's Day gift.

THE REWARD:
Sarah Frost will pick a winner and arrange to have a meeting with the winner by phone or in person for 30 minutes.

Send in your entries by 31st July 2013.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED!



Who is eligible?
  • You need to be a current SCBWI un-agented member, resident in the UK. 
  • If your entry is selected for a given Slush Pile Challenge, you will not be able to enter for any other challenges.

To join SCBWI and take advantage of the many opportunities to raise your profile: market your work, meet fellow writers, artists, the gatekeepers to publication, while being supported in the development and pursuit of your craft, visit scbwi.org.

What do you need to do?

Send in your picture book text (as Word Document) or picture dummy (as a PDF) to competitions@britishscbwi.org by 31st July 2013.

The word document / dummy PDF should only contain the picture book with its title. 
The dummy should be all spreads laid out in A3 or A4 size and saved as a PDF file. 
Do not include your name, address or email address in the word document.

In the email - please write your full name as it appears in SCBWI membership records, title of the picture book  and your email address. 

Please note that the picture book text should not exceed 500 words.

The Process

We will choose 15 entries randomly and send to the editor for review.
The editor will pick a winner and also tell us why.
The winner will be put in touch with the editor, for a 30-minute phone / personal meeting.


Good Luck Everyone!

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for this challange, a fascinating aspect of the parent/child relationship to explore. I'll get my pen sharpened. A thought for future reference though, as this is a picture book text, couldn't a way be found to include our illustrators too?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Illustrator competitions are managed and run separately by our illustration team. Slush Pile Challenge has always been for writers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a great challenge for picture book people! The Slush Pile Challenge has SO FAR only included challenges for writers, but please email your ideas to our Illustrator Coordinator, Anne-Marie Perks, at illustrators@britishscbwi.org and to Chitra and we will try to make them happen.

    Chitra, could you perhaps see if Sarah is prepared to consider picture book dummies (pdf) as part of the challenge? Natascha

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  4. Please note the changes to the challenge. Sarah Frost has agreed to review PB text from writers and dummies from author-illustrators. Hurrah!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Chitra,
    Just wondering if entrants will find out if they're one of the fifteen picked out of the hat, or only if they're the overall winner?
    Cheers,
    Annie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mine was chosen for the short-list, and I was informed by e-mail, so the answer is yes.

      Delete
  6. Oh dear, just missed out on this. I had a story that would have suited too. Actually, I had THREE that would have suited. Joined too late though! : (

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  7. "If your entry is selected for a given Slush Pile Challenge, you will not be able to enter for any other challenges."

    Selected as a candidate or selected as the winner?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Has the winner been announced yet? I was chosen for the shortlist but can't find any winner announcements anywhere? I know Sarah Frost maybe busy at the moment...

    ReplyDelete

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