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THRIVE (Hachette UK’s BAME network) and Hachette UK are delighted to announce we will be offering a fiction development programme for writers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to commence in March 2022.

There will be no costs for writers to take part and the programme is open to writers inthe UK and Ireland.

 

The programme is supported by David Higham Associates, The Future Bookshelf and sponsored by our adult trade divisions – Headline Publishing, Hodder & Stoughton, John Murray Press, Little, Brown UK and Orion Publishing.

Writers on the programme will be offered the opportunity to develop their adult fiction manuscript through online workshops led by industry professionals. Each writer will also be offered one-on-one mentorship with both an editor and agent for up to six hours.

 

THRIVE and Hachette UK are offering the 10 writers selected for the 2022 programme: 

  • – Seven online workshops led by HUK editors and industry professionals. Topics to be covered will include editing, redrafting, pitching, finding the core of your story and applying for grants. Online workshops will be held from March to May 2022 – dates to be confirmed at a later date. 
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  • – Feedback on their submitted work during the workshop process – up to two writers will be selected for group assessment per workshop 
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  • – The opportunity to feature their sample work in a showcase booklet and online from Summer 2022 
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  • – A comprehensive mentoring package from June 2022 – includes up to a combined 6 hours of one-to-one mentoring with both an editor and agent, a package of creative writing books and a visit to Hachette UK offices (depending on location), for face-to-face meeting with their editorial mentor 
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  • – Fortnightly online meetups with writers on the programme from June 2022 for up to 5 months with special guest talks organised 
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  • – Writers will have no obligation during the programme or after completion to Hachette UK or any of our supporting partners. 

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME PARTNERS

About Hachette UK:

Our mission at Hachette UK is to make it easy for all people, everywhere to access new worlds of learning, entertainment and opportunity.

We are one of the UK’s largest publishing groups, with 10 autonomous publishing divisions and over 50 imprints with a rich and diverse history. We are also the market leader in e-books and publish a range of bestsellers in audio format, the fastest growing part of our business.

 

We publish thousands of new books across the group every year and our authors include Dorothy Koomson, Andrea Levy, Nelson Mandela, Paul Mendez, Roxane Gaye, Rowan Hisayo-Buchanan, Mike Gayle, Colson Whitehead, Dean Atta, Candice Carty-Williams, Nikesh Shukla and Malala Yousafzai.

 

About THRIVE:

THRIVE is Hachette’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Employee Network. We are an inclusive Network open to all employees of Hachette UK. We aim to build people up (by widening the representation of BAME employees and authors at Hachette), bring people together and build cultural awareness. By empowering discussion at Hachette, we aim to inform decision-making and enrich our publishing.

 

About David Higham Associates:

Established in 1935, David Higham Associates is a leading literary agency which represents an outstanding range of writers of commercial and literary fiction and non-fiction, in all media and languages. As well as being representatives of bestselling fiction and non-fiction authors we are also a leading agency for children’s authors and illustrators.

 

https://www.davidhigham.co.uk/

 

About The Future Bookshelf:

 

Set up in 2016 as part of Hachette’s Changing the Story scheme, The Future Bookshelf is a free creative writing resource for aspiring writers who feel underrepresented within the industry. The website carries a years’ worth of tips and exercises on writing a book and inspiring content from leading authors, high-profile agents and experienced editors. The Future Bookshelf has also run two Open Submissions campaigns, with a ‘Class of 2018’ already announced and a ‘Class of 2020’ to follow later this year. Find out more at https://thefuturebookshelf.co.uk/

 

 

WHO YOU ARE

A new, unagented and unpublished writer from a B.A.M.E (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) background with a novel that you hope to submit within 3-6 months of completing the workshops.

The novel will ideally be completed or in the first draft stages – the programme will offer writers the opportunity to develop their work ahead of submitting to agents.

WHO WE ARE

We are THRIVE (Hachette UK’s BAME network) and aim to support, empower and amplify the voices of our BAME employees, writers and readers. Hachette UK is one of the UK’s largest publishers – on our adult fiction lists, we publish everything from women’s fiction, sci-fi, romance, literary fiction and crime/thriller. Our authors include Dorothy Koomson, Andrea Levy, Nelson Mandala, Colston Whitehead, Roxane Gay, Candice-Carty Williams, Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, Chigozie Obioma, Paul Mendez, Yvonne Battle-Felton and many more.

HOW TO SUBMIT

To apply for the programme, you will need to submit:

  • 1. a three-thousand-word sample from your novel
  • 2. a one-page synopsis of the book
  • 3. a five-hundred-word statement on why you would benefit from a development programme

The submissions period will open at 12 am GMT on 3rd December 2021, and will close on 15th December 2021, at 11.59 pm GMT. 

 

See here for full terms and conditions.

 

 

How do I submit my work?

Please submit your work as one continuous pdf/word document using the form provided at the bottom of this page, without any identifying characteristics such as name and email.

 

What will happen to my work after I submit it?

After submitting your work, it will be read and reviewed by a member of THRIVE (Hachette’s BAME network) for the first stage. A judging panel including a publisher, an author and agent will read the longlist of 20 writers to decide the final shortlist taking part in the programme.

When will I find out if I have been selected or not?

You will receive an automated email to let you know we have received your submission. We will then, in due course, email everyone with our final decision on whether they have been selected for the 2022 programme, latest by 16th February. We will also provide written feedback on their submission to the 20 longlisted writers. Please note only 10 writers will be selected for the 2022 programme. 

 

Guidelines

    • – We are only able to consider work in English. 
    • – We will only accept fiction work for the 2022 programme in all genres except Children, Young Adult and Poetry. 
    • – Writers must be from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Backgrounds. 
    • – Writers must be both unagented and unpublished as of September 2020. 
    • – We are open to submissions from the UK and Ireland only. 
    • – If you would like to submit a previously self-published novel, please let us know that it was previously self-published and tell us where. 
    • – This is only a submission. By sending us your manuscript you are not granting us any legal rights to your work. 
    • – Writers will have no obligation to Hachette or any of our partners on this programme. 
    • – You must be 18 or over to submit 
    • – Read Terms & Conditions here 

 

If you have any further questions, please email growyourstory@hachette.co.uk.