SLUSH PILE CHALLENGE January 2025 Results

 

 

 

Laura Bennett of Liverpool Literary Agency set and judged the January 2025 Slush Pile Challenge.

 

 

 

Laura Bennett

 

 

Laura’s challenge: “My challenge is for an Upper YA, (teen and older), speculative novel – so fantasy, science-fiction or horror – from traditionally underrepresented authors. I’m especially interested in settings that aren’t in or based on the UK or USA. I would like to see a blurb, brief author bio and the first 500 words – and the novel doesn’t need to be completed.”

 

 

We received seven entries from members across the British Isles and Europe for this competition.

 

This is what Laura told us when announcing the results:

 

 

“I have chosen Dig Two Graves by Karin Maatman as my winner.

 

I loved the concept, and I absolutely adore a twist in the tale – especially when it’s the narrator. I think that the theme of AI is a very relevant one at the moment, and it’s great to see it explored in fiction for younger people.

 

The first sentence drew me in straight away and it was followed by a strong voice and vivid descriptions. I was immediately captivated and drawn into the story. We were told enough to make us want to keep reading, without being overwhelmed.

 

My runner-up is Far is Watching by Eiman Munroe, which was another entry with a beautiful voice that drew me in. I really got a strong sense of the character just from that first page.

 

I’d like to offer a little advice for future competitions. For anything speculative, the temptation is to tell the reader a lot of information to start with in order to get them invested in the story and to set up the world. This leads to exposition in the first few pages, and characters talking or thinking about things that feel stilted or unnatural. It’s absolutely fine for readers to be confused or not to know what is going on at first and for it to be revealed slowly and naturally. Writers should concentrate on drawing the reader in, first, and establishing the voice and the setting through description and dialogue, rather than heavy explanations.”

 

 

Congratulations to Karin Maatman from all of us at Words & Pictures. We hope you are well on your way towards getting your writing published.

 

Congratulations to Eiman Munroe for being chosen as the runner up in this competition.

 

Thanks to everyone who entered. Keep writing and we hope you will be encouraged to try your hand at appropriate competitions.

 

 

Laura developed a love of writing early, attending her first Creative Writing course at college. She then decided to study Writing at Liverpool John Moores University, obtaining a BA before pursuing a career in teaching. She began work at a college for young adults with special needs, and then moved to a vocational college while studying for a post-compulsory PGCE. Laura taught English for a few years, and also ran several Creative Writing courses before returning to LJMU to obtain an MA in Writing. She then worked as a teaching assistant at a local secondary school, before leaving that job to pursue a career in editing.

 

The combination of teaching and writing works extremely well for being an agent, and for providing encouragement and guidance for writers. Laura also works as a freelance writer, and has previously been the writer and loremaster for a video game, in addition to writing for various roleplaying games.

 

The Liverpool Literary Agency started as an editing company with a diverse list of clients comprising accountants, taxi drivers, sport scientists, NHS workers and hospitality sector workers, alongside more experienced writers with qualifications in Creative Writing or other literature-based subjects. These writers all had one thing in common—the publishing industry seemed inaccessible, London-centric and intimidating. So, we knew that it was time to go beyond editing, especially as costs and contacts are the main barriers for many of our writers.

 

We were inspired by the report, Common People: Breaking the Class Ceiling in UK Publishing, which confirmed our belief that many promising authors see their careers stall in the face of limiting barriers, including ‘a lack of support networks and contacts, lower levels of self-confidence and the publishing industry’s lack of social diversity’.

 

Overall, we’re here for under-represented writers from the north, and to support equality, diversity and inclusion in the publishing industry.

 

 

Photo: Laura Bennett

 

 

 

Elaine Cline has been a SCBWI member for over ten years and loves to write picture books, chapter books and middle-grade. She loves writing about food. She lives by the sea and has a dog and a cat. Elaine is a member of the Words & Pictures' editorial team, managing The Slush Pile Challenge for writers.

 

Connect with Elaine on X formerly Twitter: @elaineccline

 

Connect with Elaine on Bluesky: @elaineccline.bsky.social