Members Only
Members Only
This section is for Black Writers Guild members, where we share resources, information, and members-only opportunities.
Opportunities
Merky Books New Writers’ Prize
The winner of the New Writers’ Prize will receive a publishing contract with #Merky Books. All shortlisted writers will also be invited to our Writers’ Camp, where they will be able to participate in writing workshops, panel talks, editorial one-to-ones, and meet the #Merky Books team.
The prize will also aim to provide all applicants the tools, information and access they need to develop their ideas, progress their writing and set off on the path to publication.
Penguin are looking for unpublished and un-agented writers aged between 18 and 35 who are currently a resident in the UK or ROI. If you have a manuscript you are working on, or an idea ready to be put onto paper, they want to hear from you. This year, we are looking for the next Bolu Babalola, Cecile Pin and Caleb Azumah Nelson and are focusing on fiction only, and unfortunately we will not be accepting non-fiction, poetry or children’s books this year.
Fill in the application form by midnight on Tuesday 29th August, 2023. We are asking for a 200 word synopsis and 1,500 word extract for works of fiction.
Hachette UK Freelance Training Program
Hachette UK is building a representative and energised workforce of freelance editors to work on books across the UK publishing industry, in partnership with the Publishing Training Centre.
They are offering five candidates fully funded training to provide them with the skills and experience needed to launch a freelance editorial career. No experience is required, though a desire to work in a freelance capacity is essential. This training is designed to make publishing more accessible to under-represented groups as part of our vision for Changing the Story.
Applications open on Tuesday 15th August 2023, and close on Friday 8th September 2023.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a short proofreading test and will be contacted in due course.
