EVENTS Undiscovered Voices 2022






The search is on for new writing talent to be published in the next Undiscovered Voices anthology. UV2022 kicks off this Thursday with a free event, followed by a series of masterclasses to help applicants polish their manuscripts before submissions open on 14th June. Events Editor Fran Price spoke to three past finalists about their experience and how it has affected their writing career so far.

 

Yvonne Banham — UV2020




Q. How did you feel when you heard you were a UV finalist?

When Sara Grant rang to give me the good news, I pretty much held it together through the joy and excitement. When the call finished, I burst into tears. I felt such an overwhelming sense of relief that maybe, just maybe, I could make it as a writer.


After an advice-packed call with my fabulous UV mentor Em Lynas, I headed to London for the launch preparation day and to meet the other finalists. I know the kidlit community is lovely, but I wasn’t prepared for quite such an amazing bunch of people. Their friendship has turned out to be a major part of the prize.

But the thought of the launch party was filling me with anxiety: worried I’d totally freeze or make a fool of myself in front of the assembled agents and publishers. The amazing UV team did everything they could on the study day to make sure that didn’t happen. The launch night went by in a flash. I found it challenging but still managed to speak to publishing professionals who, it turned out, were also lovely. My fear was cured, and the experience has been invaluable in conversations since.
 
Q. How has being featured in Undiscovered Voices affected your writing career?

I got full requests and great feedback for my UV book, then took everything I learned from UV2020, applied it to my next project and I now have exciting news. I can’t share it quite yet (sorry to be that annoying person) but I’ll always be grateful to the Undiscovered Voices Team for getting me there.

 

Nick Cross —  UV2010

 



Q. How did you feel when you heard you were a UV finalist?

At the time, I was weirdly unsurprised. I’d been having a difficult time that year (2009) trying to place my horror novel Back from the Dead with an agent or publisher, but in the back of my mind I felt sure I’d be selected for Undiscovered Voices. With hindsight, this seems like an absurd level of self-confidence that I don’t think I’ve had before or since! As a SCBWI newbie at the time, I didn’t realise how tough the competition was or how many brilliant writers would join me in the final anthology. So, whereas I was nonchalant at the time, I now feel blessed to have been included.

Q. How has being featured in Undiscovered Voices affected your writing career?

Undiscovered Voices was an amazing boost — it launched me into a world of agents and publishing that was incredibly exciting. However, I hit some speedbumps along the way, and my UV novel didn’t reach the bookshelves (though it got close). Ten(ish) years later, the most enduring legacy of being in UV is the fantastic SCBWI people I met in the process, many of whom are still my friends today.

Q. What are you up to now?

Answering these questions ;-) But once that’s done, I’m back to working on a YA graphic novel that I’m both writing and illustrating. Oh, and finishing the next instalment of my comic for Words & Pictures!

 

Claire Fayers — UV2014




Q. How did you feel when you heard you were a UV finalist?

I might have screamed a little bit. Honestly, I hadn't expected to come anywhere. I'd gathered so many rejections over the years, I'd decided I'd enter a few competitions, then self-publish the book and call it a day. When Sara Grant called to give me the news, I was sure she'd made a mistake.

Q. How has being featured in Undiscovered Voices affected your writing career? 

Without Undiscovered Voices, I wouldn't have a writing career. I suddenly went from querying agents to having agents contact me asking to read the full manuscript. One of those agents was Gemma Cooper from the Bent Agency, who happened to be a UV judge that year. I eventually signed with her and we worked on the book together. She sent it out, warning me to be patient, then we had our first offer within a week. I signed a three book deal with Macmillan, which enabled me to give up my library job and write full-time. 
 
Undiscovered Voices isn't just a chance to be published, however. The finalists get a lot of support from one another and from the judges and organisers. That was one of the nicest things — being part of a group and celebrating everyone's successes.

Q. What are you up to now?
 
My fifth book — a collection of Welsh fairy tales — was published by Scholastic earlier this year. My sixth book is on submission and I will hopefully have some news about that soon. Last year, my husband and I made the decision to move out of Cardiff to the Welsh mountains, and I'm looking forward to hosting writing retreats when lockdown ends. In the meantime, I'm helping lead a SCBWI critique group for MG and YA authors, and I've been doing a surprising amount of filming for schools and libraries.

 

For more info on UV2022, go here.

*****

Nick Cross is a writer, illustrator and blogger whose novel extract Back from the Dead appeared in the Undiscovered Voices 2010 anthology. Nick has had more than ten short stories published in children’s magazines, and was honours winner of the SCBWI Magazine Merit Award for fiction. He is Words & Pictures Blog Network Editor, and also currently writes and illustrates a monthly comic called Antisoci@l Media. He is represented by Heather Cashman at Storm Literary Agency, and can be found as @nick_w_cross on both Twitter and Instagram.

*****

Claire Fayers grew up in her local library where she devoured anything to do with myth, legend or science fiction. She lives in the Welsh countryside with her husband and a pair of disruptive cats, and she writes fantasy with a large splash of humour. Her latest book, a collection of Welsh myths and legends, is out now. www.clairefayers.com. Twitter @clairefayers

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Yvonne Banham grew up on an island off the Cumbrian coast and spent lots of time huddled on the beach with a scary book. She can speak Dutch (badly) and believes in ghosts though she's never met one. She lives in Scotland with her husband and when she’s not writing, she’s hiking or trail running with her very naughty beagle. She was a SCBWI Undiscovered Voices 2020 finalist. Twitter @Eviewriter


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