I contacted Cactus, the programme Producers, asking for any information as to when the 10 finalists will be announced. I received an email reply that contained the following:-

'The response to our novel writing competition has been over whelming and we have had over 20,000 entries. We hope to have a short list drawn up before Christmas, but are currently busy reading through them all.'

I am sure this will be of interest to Members.

Len

Hi Len, thanks for that. I didn't enter, but that 20,000 figure is extremely interesting. I wonder what the quality is like.

Adele.

PS I'm going now before I get into trouble again from you for straying from my work...

Quite right, you naughty girl. Get back to your writing!

I just wondered how many 'Readers' they have. I envisaged some poor little office boy engulfed in manuscripts, having what is known as 'a job for life'.
Len

Thanks for that, Len. I can't say I'm surprised. The Fish Unpublished Novel prize had 800 entries and there was an entry fee of 37E50. Plus only 'real writers' would know about it. (btw A few of our talented members have made the longlist.) Richard & judy were asking for it really!

Elspeth

I wonder how they are going to sift through the entries based on one chapter and a synopsis. Out of 20,000 entries (which is way, wayyyyy more than I imagined) there must be some damn good and original ideas in there, but how do they know that the authors they choose will be up to the task of completing the novel, of putting the time and commitment into the editing of it? I'm sure that many people who entered the comp are capable of seeing it through, but there must be a good percentage that see themselves as novelists, but when it finally comes to the work, they will have difficulty.

Most people can come up with a good idea for a novel or a film, but can all of them see it through to the bitter end?

Then again, maybe that's the point of the competition; to find someone who has the dream but never has the time or the belief.

BTW - I did enter. Two days before the closing date. I wonder if my entry got there in time.

Colin M

I did read somewhere that at any one time, a million people in Britain were in the process of writing 'a book'. I firmly believe that good writing is about sustaining a level of craftsmanship, character arcs and plotline control, apart from anything else. The best writing also comes from people who care enough and who have sufficient pride in their work to reveal it to other writers. So, best of luck to all W.W contenders. I still think it's a lottery but I'm looking forward to seeing how many R&J goggle-eyes are capable of doing this after their initial mawkish chapters.

Best
Sion

Compare this to 17,000 entries for the End of Story comp.
Elspeth
Sion, I guess the synopsis will be a deciding factor

Got to agree with Sion; this is a long, long apprenticeship. I can fix a leaky tap, but I don't tell anyone I'm a plumber.

Still, it would be interesting to see if you can "fastrack" someone. Actually, I'm sure you can. I remember a documentary about the astronauts that landed on the moon (allegedly) and how they had to be trained in geology. Their enthusiasm helped them attain a level higher than their instructors. (this sounds silly, the proof was that they tested them and tested them until one group failed - the lecturers were the ones who came second)

Colin M

I entered- but I don't know if I want to win any more, not because of any snootiness towards the show, or even any desire to keep some artistic integrity, but because I have only a pitiful amount written and I don't know if I could finish it for the April deadline. I'd be up for the challenge, though, I guess. It'd be like a Saturday job or something. And a Sunday job. And some evenings week days. Anyway, 'twill be fun watching the final contenders.

You'll be amazed how much work you can knock out when they phone and tell you you're in the top ten.

Be a hoot if all ten finalists are WW members.

Colin M

I entered. Not holding out a great deal of hope that I've made the top 10. I'm not sure if the R&J readership is ready for a violent gangster thriller.

We shall have to wait and see...

at any one time, a million people in Britain were in the process of writing 'a book'.

Sion, this makes me despair. So many people think that, because they can write (in the sense that they can make marks on a piece of paper which are intelligible to others), they can be a writer. It’s like saying that if you can switch on a light, you’re an electrician… all you need is for other people to recognize that fact.

It’s no wonder the whole process is grinding to a slow halt. How on earth can agents and publishers sift out the light-switchers?

Sorry – I’m grumpy because my novel has been rejected again…

Dee
x

Hi,

I bet a million people in Britain would claim to be writing a novel. Christ, the number of times I have stood in a pub...where ever, and heard somebody say, 'yeah, I want to be a writer(am writing a book)'. And the conversation goes like this.

"So you are writing a book?"

"Yeah."

"How much have you done?"

"Well, I started, you know, a couple of years back(probably in high school), but I ain't done much since."

"So how often do you write?"

"Well, like I said, a couple of years back, I started this book."

And you know, but are too polite to mention, it is all just complete B.S., and you change the topic and move on.

As far as R&J's book thing goes, the thing will be a runnaway success, if it will ever gets published, as is every piece of kack they ever have on their book club, keeeeriiist on a push-bike, talk about your 'books for people who pretend they like to read to impress their friends'.

Think I am sounding rather bitter today?
cheers
Ian

Salty,
Certainly when the finalists of the R&J competition are known and the winning book is published, it will be seen by so many as being crap-writing as well as those who will hail it as a wonderful example of what a first-time writer can achieve.

It will be both a target of derision for the jealous, the envious and those who think that their opinion on well-written stories matters, at the same time it may be a spur, an encouragement to those people drinking in your pub who nurture dreams of giving the world their own stories.

Sure, it will be both a money-maker and an open door for the successful one, as well as being a goal for those many people who will never make it, but whose work is good, truly good and commercial if only they had been given the opportunity.

All this may well be just public relations, hot-air for R&J, with a team of ghost writers waiting in the wings for a name to be picked out of a hat, ready to completely re-write in a 'commercial' format

Why not? This is precisely what happens to 'well-known' personalities or 'celebrities' whose autobiographies take up so much space on the shelves of booksellers. You never know, we may see a novel that has been written by the person whose name appears on the cover. He/she may even be a very good writer who has produced a worthy novel. I do hope so.

Len

What eez thees... ghost writing? Can I assume that not all the books on our shelves are written by the fellah that masquerades as the author!? Egad! Jordan's verbosity is thrown into doubt!? The Bible had a team of shadowy script writers!? I haven't heard o' this before, poor naive James that I am.