Yes, really- check out the news and the jobs/opps section for details of possibly the most exciting, most democratic literary fiction comp ever! Aspiring novelists will compete for the chance to win a lucrative publishing contract in a Pop-Idol style literary talent search.

Lit Idol has been organised by London Book Fair to uncover untapped talent in the world of fiction writing. The winner will secure a deal with a leading agent which would be almost certain to result in a contract.

Entrants will be asked to submit up to 10,000 words from the opening chapters of a novel with a two-page synopsis. They will be whittled down to five, whose work will be displayed on websites and opened up to a public vote. Jenny Colgan, author of Amanda's Wedding, is a contest judge.

How do writers feel about this? It's a scary but potentially brilliant way to access a literary career- but will Ms Colgan become the fiction world's answer to Mr Nasty?

*bangs head against desk*

That's what I feel about it. I was once happy that my main interests had nothing to do with this reality TV style nonsense that consistently provides the public with a growing number of talentless z-list celebrities with which to populate the also growing number of vacuous women's magazines which serve only to nit-pick at said celebrity's dress sense and supposed social gaucheries.

*bangs head against desk some more*

This news has ruined my day.

Not having a television, I've never watched Pop Idol, but dare I ask what talent is?

Not that I'm playing devil's advocate or anything.

Hilary.

Not much point asking what talent is, if you ever watched Pop Idol, you wouldn't see any anyway.

Oh dear, if this is going to be the new way of finding talent, I'll be out of a job! Shame really, I've become quite attached to my slush pile.

Still, you never know, maybe it will unearth a rising star. Or we could end up with the literary equivalent of Hear'Say.

I wonder how many writers from this website will put aside their misgivings and send something in. The 'what if' factor is a powerful one.

Katie

It's a great idea with one major defect. That is the requirement that the five finalists read their own work in front of a panel of judges. Authors are not actors - would you ask a mechanic to compete in the Grand Prix? I can imagine that the winner would simply be the author best at reading aloud entertainingly.

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Mind you, if one made it to the last five...

Well as the novel I started writing this morning is actually a satire based on the phenomena known as Pop Idol, I guess I've really got to go for it, but hang on - what if everyone's thinking what I'm thinking, oh no, back to the drawing board.

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The working title was even - Dreaming of Simon Cowell

Go for it Julie!

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the old way of trying to get published, by licking buckets of stamps amd buying loads of envelopes.

Steve

Interesting what a set of responses this has unearthed! It's true that asking writers to read aloud can be painful, unfair and just plain mean... it shouldn't, of course, affect your judgment of the writing, as it's meant to be read not heard. Is the idea behind that to test out your potential ability to conduct a signing and reading? Horrible cynical thought. Yes, Katie, the Hear'say thing had me worried too... the blandness of the Will Young and Gareth Gates whole scenario will, presumably, translate to literature. Jenny Colgan's columns in the Guardian have got a fair amount of bite to them, though, so maybe not as soft centred as all that. I don't think you'll be out of a job anytime soon. But if anyone is going to go for it, let us know how you feel about the prospect of the public voting your work in or out. And IB, I'm sorry I ruined your day with the news. You had to hear it somewhere..

Oh GOd not that I watch TV very much but that means yet another hour or so when I can do something productive rather than watching another load of C*** masquerading as entertainment.

The inability of programme makers to devise anything remotely entertaining never ceases to amaze me, but no doubt it is all part of a master plan to tunr our television programme production over totally to the Americans then I can selll my TV altogether and buy a better radio to which I will listen even more than I do now

I think this is an excellent idea.However I feel it will make lousy television for I cannot think of anything worse than writers reading their work aloud to an audience. It will take an exceptional person to write something really worthy AND also have the abilities to do full justice to their work by having to present it verbally.

I have a feeling that 'unjustified extra points' may be earned by good presentation whereas it should all be judged on the written words.

I suppose it may start a vogue whereby composers of Opera are required to sing ALL voices to an audience.

This is likely to deter many really good writers for many good reasons.

Or heaven forbid, 'some' fashion designers having to sew.

Oh for Heaven's sake. Stop being so precious!
It's another avenue to publication. If you are determined enough to be published you will do anything up to and maybe a little bit over the line into illegality. Instead of complaining about it, everyone should enter to raise the standard.
If I hadn't just found a great agent I would enter, and to Hell with my principles. Principles don't get your books into the shops!
Dee.

Dee, please don't speak for anyone but yourself. There are plenty of people here who are keen to be published, but who'd draw the line way before illegality. Are you saying you'd write hard core porn and violence just to see your name on a book cover? I wouldn't.