Guppy Books holds competition to find new YA voices

Oxford-based independent publisher Guppy Books is holding a competition to search for new voices in young adult fiction.

Founder and publisher Bella Pearson is giving one writer the opportunity to win a publishing contract.

From 11th-15th May 2020 unagented writers are invited to submit stories for readers aged 12+. A shortlist of 10 stories will be selected in mid-June, after which an overall winner will be chosen, and given a contract. The team of judges is yet to be announced, but Pearson will be on the panel.

Pearson commented: "The YA community is vibrant, its readers passionate about books, and I would love to find another fabulous young adult author to join the Guppy list. I’m looking for a voice that sings, that leaps off the page, that provides a vision looking forwards for young people in a world which seems increasingly fragile."

She added: "It is not perfection that I’m looking for, but an understanding and way of telling that is truly representative of the teenage experience and of the breadth of our life today. We especially encourage writers from underrepresented backgrounds to apply."

More information, including how to submit, can be found on the Guppy Books website.

Pearson launched Guppy Books in 2019 with YA novel Gloves Off by Louisa Reid.