I do apologise if anybody is suspicious of me posting on here. I am not a plant, I have stated openly who I am and my role in the organisation.

I am sorry that people cannot take me at my word and as such will leave this forum for now.

I do extend the invitation to you all though, if you have any questions, please do email me on joanna@britwriters.co.uk and I will reply to the best of my ability.

Joanna, I don't think anyone accused you of being a plant. But I did ask you a question, and you said you'd be happy to reply to questions. This is what concerns me about the BWA - questions are repeatedly encouraged, and equally repeatedly ignored.
Susie

<Added>

I will send you my question above, in case you missed it, and look forward to your reply.

Perhaps my post, as one of the 15 group members mentioned, may infuse another perspective into the equation: I have struggled for years against the formulaic nature of the industry because of my rhythmic, lyrical voice. I take into account fully the financial constraints contributing to this situation, especially since my concept has a wide scope, requiring time to unfold. I have been offered a publishing contract but turned it down because it wasn't the right one for me. Rather, I accepted the mentorship of the BWA, whose vision is similar to my own. Their hard-working team considered my concept in its entirety and with precision and I am now moving ahead in leaps and bounds. I would have struggled totally to have reached this stage on my own.

The camaraderie of the group and our mentors are an added bonus and I would not have missed this opportunity for anything.

I won't promise to be a long-time contributor, at least for a while, because I have so much to prepare in compliance with the directives of the publishing programme. But I wish you all well and good luck with whichever route you decide upon to achieve your dreams. We're all scribblers, after all.

So they managed to fill all 15 slots?
Curious to know what the application process involved.

Sorry if you feel under attack, Joanna. I certainly commend the idea of helping new writers to break through and of givibng them motivation and encouragement. I'm sure the 15 chosen writers wouldn't want to be part of anything that seemed obviously suspicious, so you are obviously doing something right. I was just worried by the wording in your earlier post, as I fear it may encourage unpublished writers to think that you have the ability to match their book to any chosen publisher and guarantee their acceptance, which we all know is incorrect.

I do wish you all the best and hope that the scheme produces at least one break-through book!

There seem to be two separate discussions going on here that have become confusingly intertwined. On the one hand we have several members of the BWA scheme explaining that they have benefitted from working with a dedicated team and other like-minded writers. And that's something we all understand and appreciate as writers.

On the other, there is a very straightforward question several of us have asked but which remains unanswered: how can the BWA possibly guarantee publication for its contest winner, at least without naming the publisher and the arrangement they've made with it? (Unless it's just with a subsidy or close to vanity publisher.) Joanna, you must realise that this is the main carrot for virtually everyone who enters your contest. And there's a fair degree of sensitivity to such promises on this site. For example, we've often debated here the ethics of manuscript agencies who all but promise to find agents for writers (see current Q & A thread with The Literary Consultancy). On this thread alone you have rather pointedly failed to answer this question twice now, and after the second appear to have quit the thread/site because you feel your integrity has been called into question.

Where I stand is that I will always support skilled people who are helping writers improve. I love to do the same and I'm happy to say I charge for it. What I don't charge for - because it would be unethical to - is anything I can't deliver. So, please do take this opportunity to tell us where you stand and help clear up our confusion about what exactly the BWA is offering its contest winners.

Terry

What does 'publication' entail? One would hope the writers are not being fed the current sales hype surrounding ebooks as being the way of the future, in lieu of a proper hardback/paperback combo.

Technically Naomi, this post has been 'published' as it is on the net and therefore in the public domain.

From reading the Brit writers site last years winner won herself 10k (very nice) and a virtual e-book, in otherwords it was not published in the traditional manner.

There's a programme on my Mac that can do it, so I might set up a counter competition - New Brit Writers. I will charge £10, get 20,000 people to enter then give away £10k, keep the remaining £190k and 'publish' the winning book on Ben Yezir Publications - that well known company run by that nice man who used to live in Ireland, but who after a couple of years retired to the South of France.

Ben

I think I counted five new part-members on this thread, all of whom signed up yesterday, all of whom are supporting the BWA scheme. Please excuse my scepticism, but it seems odd that five different people, all with positive experience of the BWA scheme, should all independently find this thread on the same day, particularly when it has been running for a couple of months now.

Jan

I am very suspicious of this. Even given the best case scenario - that Britwriters isn't meant as a scam, and that these supporters are genuine and have simply been asked to turn up and put their point of view forward to redress the balance - they simply sound as if they don't know what they are talking about.

To answer, the publishers will be whichever is best suited to the individual book and author.

And who determines which publisher is best suited to the book and author? Britwriters? The author? The publisher? What are the names of these publishers? Let's hear who they are. Let's have some names. Why so coy?

I would say it is the supporters of Britwriters whose responses do not appear to be 'based on a lot of fact'.

And as for all these 'you're negative' comments - that's a rather crude and obvious technique of persuasion, used frequently in sales. It isn't negative to have reasonable doubts and refuse to be suckered by what looks like - at best interpretation - a badly thought out and shady scheme.

As a writer of over twelve years—having had agents jumping about to represent my bestsellers…that didn’t sell

So they're not bestsellers then, are they? Who are these agents? Names, please.

My first heartbreaker came some years ago just before I secured a top London agent

I have over the past few years been lucky enough to make contact with many published authors who are represented by, among others, agencies such as Peters Fraser and Dunlop, United Agents, Curtis Brown,Celia Catchpole, Rogers Coleridge and White etc. etc. Personally I'm represented by The Greenhouse Agency. I've never in my life heard anyone refer to their agent as 'a top London agency'. They give the name of their agency.
And may I ask why, if you are represented by 'a top London agency' you feel the need to go to Britwriters? Why aren't your agency selling your book the conventional way? That's their job.

Perhaps my post (...) may infuse another perspective into the equation: I have struggled for years against the formulaic nature of the industry because of my rhythmic, lyrical voice.

Honestly, the above speaks for itself.

The people posting here in support of Britwriters may be genuine - but 'gotta be honest', that doesn't come through.

I am very suspicious of this. Even given the best case scenario - that Britwriters isn't meant as a scam, and that these supporters are genuine and have simply been asked to turn up and put their point of view forward to redress the balance - they simply sound as if they don't know what they are talking about.

It's a rum do when a writing scheme contacts, and quickly gets back-up from, its current paying customers. I would say it is unethical at best to ask for their support, and odd that so many would speak up for a scheme that hasn't yet given them any concrete results. Dunno, but my scepticism remains rock solid.

Jan

Just scrolled through this and been struck by how many temporary members linked to BWA have decided to contribute to this thread...S

I emailed my question above to Joanna at BritWriters, and she replied as follows:

Susan, Many thanks for emailing your question. We are aware that many questions have been raised about this issue. Having spoken to the senior management team we have taken the decision not to enter into those forum debates that are asking similar questions. As stated in our Chief Exec's interview - http://www.britwriters.co.uk/uploads/files/Imran_Akram_Exclusive_Interview_-_Feb_2011.pdf - the details of the process for the participants on the Publishing Programme are confidential to safeguard the interests of those authors. If you have any other queries regarding the Brit Writers' Awards, please do not hesitate to contact us, and yes, as you said, we are extremely busy at this moment in time, but appreciate you taking the time to email me. Kind regards, Joanna

Argh!!
Susiex

Having spoken to the senior management team we have taken the decision not to enter into those forum debates that are asking similar questions.

Maybe the senior management team would have been wiser taking that decision before the BWA-supporters mass sign-up yesterday.

Sharley

please do email me on joanna@britwriters.co.uk and I will reply to the best of my ability.

Hum...