HarperFiction teams up with Good Literary Agency for underrepresented writers scheme

HarperFiction is teaming up with The Good Literary Agency to launch a mentoring scheme for underrepresented writers, supported by Stylist magazine. 

(Re)presenting Romance will develop and mentor romance writers from underrepresented backgrounds, including writers of colour, disabled writers, LGBTQ+ writers and working-class writers, promising to open doors into the publishing industry.  

The winner will receive a £1,000 writing grant from HarperCollins plus a year of mentoring from either Martha Ashby, editorial director at HarperFiction, or Kemi Ogunsanwo, literary agent at The Good Literary Agency. Two runners-up will also receive a year of mentoring from Ashby or the agency. 

Ashby said: “As a die-hard fan and voracious reader of romantic fiction, it is clear that there is a real lack of diverse writers making their way to publication in the UK. We all know that romantic fiction is there for you in the good times and the bad, and I passionately believe that every reader should be able to see themselves reflected in the love stories out there when they reach for this genre. I hope this scheme can help to change the conversation and in opening it up to writers at the start of their writing journey, we intend to build bridges for those who might not otherwise find their way into the industry.” 

Those who wish to apply should send the first three chapters (between 5,000-8,000 words) of a piece of adult romance fiction, a short synopsis of their work and their biography. There is no requirement to have a finished manuscript to enter and the scheme actively encourages those in the early stages of writing to apply. Entries should be sent to representingromance@harpercollins.co.uk before 11th July 2022. 

The competition will be judged by Ashby and Ogunsanwo alongside features editor Meena Alexander from Stylist and authors Lindsey Kelk, Sareeta Domingo and Talia Hibbert. The shortlist for the scheme will be announced on 22nd August, with the overall winner announced on 26th September. 

Ogunsanwo said: “There is a clear need to ensure that the beauty of romantic fiction is one that should reflect the realities of a broad range of readers, from different backgrounds and experiences. Love is universal, but the stories that have been so prevalent in commercial romance are not. In an effort to address this issue, we have worked hard to create a scheme that we hope widens the access point for under-represented writers in this genre; and I am incredibly excited about the quality, diversity and breadth of writing that we expect to see come out of such a wonderful initiative.” 

A number of schemes have recently been launched to diversify commercial fiction writers. Penguin Michael Joseph’s m.d. Louise Moore announced at the London Book Fair last week that the imprint is looking to launch a prize particularly focusing on those working in the crime and thriller space.