Your novel. My other passion project. And a giveaway.

Okay, so I can't promise you'll become a Sunday Times bestselling crime author of five novels, nor that you'll be a star on Traitors, like one of our illustrious alumni. But I can promise a year of outstanding teaching and support to develop your novel alongside a group of fellow writers who'll become more important to you than you might expect.

As well as running The Book Edit, I'm the founder and director of the Novel Studio at City St George's, a year-long programme for writers who are serious about their novel and serious about giving it the best possible chance. We have spaces available for our September 2026 start, and I'd love to see some of you there.

Our alumni track record speaks for itself. Alongside bestselling author of five crime novels, Harriet Tyce, Janice Okoh (last year’s Writers’ Prize judge) has just recently won an emerging talent BAFTA for her screenwriting; Deepa Anappara published her second novel, The Last of Earth, to great critical acclaim earlier this year; and Lara Haworth was shortlisted for the Nero Book Award for her debut, Monumenta.

The deadline has been extended, and there's a giveaway

We've extended our application deadline to 30th June, and to celebrate, we're offering something a little extra. The next ten people to apply will receive a free ticket to our end-of-year showcase — online or in person, your choice — where current Novel Studio students will share their work with an audience of invited industry guests. It's a great evening, and a real taste of what the community is all about.

To apply, email me at Emily.Pedder.1@citystgeorges.ac.uk with 2,000 words of your fiction and a CV detailing any writing experience.

Not quite ready to apply? Come and meet us first.

If you'd like to experience the Novel Studio before you commit, we're running a free one-hour taster session on Thursday 18th June, 12.30–1.30pm BST, via Zoom.

Dr Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone will lead a mini session on reading like a writer, while Dr Kiare Ladner will explore the art of endings in fiction. There'll also be an overview of the programme and time for your questions.

It's free and online.

REGISTER HERE

Your novel won't write itself, but this course can very much help.

Look forward to seeing some of you at the taster session!

Book Edit Community News Round-Up

It's been a while since our last update, and what a lot has happened! Read on for the latest from our community – a testament to the ongoing relationships we cherish with our authors long after their projects are complete.

Publication Successes

Last year's Writers' Prize judge Lara Haworth has been shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize for her phenomenal debut novel, Monumenta. The McKitterick Prize celebrates outstanding first novels by writers over 40, and this follows Lara being shortlisted for the Nero Prize late last year – a wonderful double recognition.

Jo Cunningham is publishing the second in her cosy crime series this August. Her debut, Death By Numbers, was released last year to rave reviews, and A Calculated Murder sees a return for amateur sleuth and actuary Una McMurray, this time set at an international cat show. Expect the usual deadpan comedy and clever craft in this novel too.

Award-winning novelist Hannah Begbie has published her stunning third novel, The Last Weekend, a compelling portrait of female friendships and secrets set over one dramatic weekend by the sea in Dorset. For more about Hannah’s other novels, visit her website HERE.

Nick Shepherd, has published his compelling memoir Changing Through War & Peace, My Life in Five Countries. From surviving the London Blitz to commanding field guns through the jungles of Malaya, to becoming CEO of a major cultural Institution in Mexico, Nick’s life embodies the transforming power of embracing difference. Speaking of his wonderful book, Nick generously has said ‘if the contents are coherent and orderly, it is due to ‘The Book Edit’s’ meticulous care.’ Watch this space for an interview to celebrate the launch of his memoir.

Writers' Prize winner Kay Inkle has sold her debut climate fiction thriller, Overspill, to SRL Publishing. Climate fiction (or ‘cli-fi’) explores our relationship with environmental change, and Kay's thriller promises to be a gripping entry to the genre. Watch this space for an interview with Kay ahead of publication.

Writers' Prize longlisted author Chris Bridges has released his debut psychological thriller, Sick to Death (Avon) to fantastic reviews, with the Guardian calling it 'deliciously dark and twisted, and a lot of fun.'

Book Edit Editor and host of the Writers' Prize, Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone, has been awarded a PhD by the Open University for her novel, All the Hollow Places. Her supervisor said, 'This is an original, ambitious novel, formally innovative, covering a rich and sensitive period of political and cultural history and offers the reader a creative engagement with an individual life as well as making a formal interrogation of, and intervention in, conventional narrative design in contemporary fiction.' This academic achievement further strengthens the depth of editorial expertise we bring to our clients' work.

Dr Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

And on a more personal note – my ten-year-old son has started work on the second volume of his manga, The Definitely Normal School! For anyone interested in the first volume, published last year, you can find a copy HERE, and if you're with Kindle Unlimited it's currently £0.00!

Opportunities

We're hard at work behind the scenes to bring you 2025's Writers' Prize. Full details of this year's judge and submission deadlines will be available by July. If you want to make sure you're on the list to hear about this first, sign up HERE.

Writers' Prize winner Hannah Hoare has teamed up with Newcastle University to run a science fiction short story competition, spotlighting DNA data storage as a revolutionary theme. Three prizes of £750-250, plus top stories to be published in an anthology.

The Novelry are offering a staggering £75,000 prize for their new writing competition. Full details are HERE.

For further writing prize competitions and opportunities, visit Penguin's comprehensive list HERE.

And finally…

I'm currently teaching The Story Within online with a wonderful group of writers and continuing to love the sense of engagement and community that is being generated. If you'd like to join me next term, do watch this space or email me on Emily@thebookedit.co.uk to be first to know when the next course is released.

That's all from me. I hope you're all thriving and managing to carve out some creative space for yourselves in this mad busy world.

Spotlight on Kezia Yadhav part of this year's Writers' Prize Team

This week we wanted to give space to one of our Writers’ Prize team members, Kezia Yadhav. Kezia has been helping to write the blogs promoting the prize. Read on for her unique perspective:

Blog creator Kezia Yadhav

‘Originally from India, I moved to Ireland two years ago to pursue a master's degree in English. I found that there is a lack of knowledge among people about the publishing industry in general and have always wished to pursue a career within that space to be able to read, work and create books that can be enjoyed by all. I became a freelance editor for JM Agency after completing my classes, where I proofread, copyedit, and work with authors on manuscripts. It was still very early in my career, and I had much to learn.

To reach my goal of achieving a career in the publishing industry, I applied for jobs via LinkedIn, Indeed, and other job boards, but I had no luck. After assembling my written work and creating a portfolio that includes a bit about myself and my journey, I posted it on LinkedIn, hoping to attract a larger audience. Posting on the platform, marketing and advertising what I have to offer proved to be valuable lessons that helped me establish contacts.

A LinkedIn posting of my writing portfolio began my journey with the Book Edit. Through Emily, I was able to establish a contact that resulted in the opportunity to contribute to the Writers' Prize.

Creating this connection opened up a whole new area of making publishing accessible to people who may not readily have those resources and opportunities. I was not completely aware of the different organizations that worked towards this goal specifically. Thus, finding the Book Edit, the Writers’ Prize competition and the success stories of past winners and their work was very encouraging to be a part of. 

Among the most important attributes the Book Edit has brought to the publishing space is inclusiveness. My experience working with Emily to create blog posts about the current Writers' Prize competition has been extremely valuable. This experience allowed me to gain a greater understanding of what it takes to make your written piece concise, convincing, and aligned with the overall theme. In addition, I was able to look into the experiences of other aspiring authors and learn about their journeys with the Book Edit, the competition and the success they have acquired.

A competition such as this has opened up a new arena for writers who may lack opportunities, which is encouraging for someone like me who is just beginning a publishing career. While my contribution to the competition was only small, I felt urged to enhance both my professional and personal skills and am grateful for the opportunity Emily gave me.’

Thanks so much, Kezia!

Enter Writers' Prize 2024