SCBWI Undiscovered Voices submissions, now until 16 August 2015

From 1 July, submissions for the Fifth SCBWU Undiscovered Voices has been open:


Submissions now for Fifth SCBWI Undiscovered Voices


Submissions will be accepted online at www.undiscoveredvoice.com between 1^st July to 16^th August 2015. There is no submissions’ fee, but only un-agented and unpublished members of SCBWI living in the UK and Europe (writing in the English language) are eligible.

The SCBWI British Isles region is thrilled to once again support this innovative project that brings unpublished writers and illustrators into the limelight. Over the past eight years, we have helped nearly 30 authors and illustrators to get discovered by publishers. We wish all contestants the best of luck!

Undiscovered Voices has launched the careers of the writers and illustrators, who have gone on to publish more than 120 books. These authors have been nominated for and won an amazing array of literary prizes: including the Carnegie Medal, Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, Branford Boase Award, Blue Peter Award, the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and nearly 30 regional awards.

The Undiscovered Voices anthology will include twelve fiction extracts – from early readers up through young adult novels – and twelve black-and-white illustrations. The anthology will be published in February 2016 and sent free of charge to editors, art directors and agents whose focus is children’s literature. The book will be produced by volunteers, with the financial support of Working Partners Ltd, a London-based company that creates series fiction.

“Working Partners is very proud to continue to support Undiscovered Voices,” said Chris Snowdon, Managing Director of Working Partners. “It is hard to believe this will be the fifth edition of this wonderful vehicle for new authors! Undiscovered Voices is now an established and high profile launch pad for new writing and we can’t wait to see what talent is discovered and published this time around.”

Multi-award-winning author and illustrator Sally Gardner will serve as the honorary chair for this anthology. Gardner has a long and distinguished career writing and illustrating books for young children and teens alike. Her work has been translated into more than twenty-two languages. Her novel MAGGOT MOON (Hot Key Books) won both the Costa Children's Book Prize and the Carnegie Medal 2013. Gardner’s genre-defying novel THE DOUBLE SHADOW (Orion) received great critical acclaim and was also longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2013. Sally also won the 2005 Nestle Children’s Book Prize for her debut novel I, CORIANDER.

The following judges will select the stories and illustrations to be included in the anthology:

Jon Appleton, Hodder

Ali Ardington, Stripes Publishing

Ed Burns, Advocate Art Agency

Barry Cunningham, Chicken House

Sheri Gee, Folio Society

Jodie Hodges, United Agents

Rachel Mann, Simon and Schuster

Polly Nolan, The Greenhouse Literary Agency

Anna Power, Johnson & Alcock

Kate Shaw, The Viney Agency

Will Steele, Random House

Caroline Walsh, David Higham Associates



For more details or to submit your novel extract or illustrations, visit www.undiscoveredvoices.com.