This looks like a good competition, with a promise of publication (if I am reading it correctly).

I'm unlikely to win - no matter how good my novel - as the competitor's age is requested and I would assume they'd want someone under 35 to win (under 35s being the readership of the magazine, etc).

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/543024/win-the-marie-claire-debut-novel-award.html

However, I read the rules and the section where it says the winner must commit to giving Marie Claire the first press interview and photo shoot for each successive novel published regardless of publisher and wondered:

a. Is this desirable in every circumstance?
b. what if Marie Claire are tardy about the interview and photo shoot? Is there a way out of such a clause if the magazine was slow to respond?

It's unlikely I'll apply, but I just wondered about the rules.

It does look like a good competition, but what I'm reading from the ts and cs and the blurb is that they're looking for stuff towards the chick-litty end of the spectrum - Cecilia Ahern is one of the judges, and they characterise her writing as having an 'addictive, escapist' quality, so my guess is they'll be looking for more of the same.

I know my stuff is too dark for them, and I've a feeling yours might be too.

And yes, that bit about them getting first dibs on press interview and photo shoot on each subsequent novel is a bit off, surely?

I know my stuff is too dark for them, and I've a feeling yours might be too.

Definitely! My current novel is bleaker than no. 1.

I've seen glossie-sponsored comps ask for photos and so on for the story or novel itself - which is understandable if a bit naff.

the winner must commit to giving Marie Claire the first press interview and photo shoot for each successive novel published regardless of publisher

But committing yourself to the future, beyond the contract that you won for this novel/s? There's something slightly creepy about that, isn't there. Selling your soul, as it were.

Mind you, it's hard to imagine future publishers objecting to coverage in Marie Claire...

I'd be intrigued to know what the Society of Authors thought of a clause like this, though. I can even imagine that it's something that's not upholdable in law, for some obscure reason. There are such things as unfair contract terms...

Edited by EmmaD at 18:06:00 on 30 June 2013

Anyone who's interested in entering could always email them and ask about this odd stipulation in the rules.

I would hate to commit to that. It may be great to have that, but it's just too much forward commitment, as Emma says.

it's just too much forward commitment,

And, having said that it's hard to imagine a future publisher, long after this contract, objecting to a connection with Marie Claire in a general way, it could nonetheless really, really baffle and piss off that future publicist. What if a different mag or newspaper asked your in-the-future publisher for exclusive or first publicity or something? Normally that would be a bit of a coup. You wouldn't want to have this commitment hanging over you...

Having said that, I should imagine it would probably all quietly lapse anyway and in real life, not turn out to be a problem. But it's still odd.

Edited by EmmaD at 10:46:00 on 01 July 2013

Yes, very odd.

I guess you would have to weigh in the fact that Marie Claire is a periodical (once a month I think) against the possibility (only a possibility) of being covered in a newspaper or something like Style magazine which is weekly. If you write women's fiction, Marie Claire is a great vehicle for promotion and I imagine there's an online presence as well. If your next book is wonderful, its unlikely that any of this would be material. Zadie Smith's NW seems (to me) to have been promoted for a very long time now. Guess it goes back to the book. S

I'm not going to enter. I'm not chick-lit (more women in jeopardy), so I don't think it's worthwhile.

However, Emma pointed out that it's worth checking the detail, particularly the potential for unfair contract terms. For anyone considering entering this competition, I do think this is a valid point.

It looks a great competition but that is a long-standing obligation for the winner.

They also ask for your age, which is a bit off.

I agree. That was another reason I thought it pointless entering. I'm not the target age range for the magazine.

They also ask for your age, which is a bit off

I agree. Actually, I think it's more than just a bit off; I think it's wrong.