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Terms and Conditions for the Mo Siewcharran Prize 2021

By Celeste Ward-Best
Related Categories: Uncategorized
  • Terms and Conditions for the Mo Siewcharran Prize competition

1. This is a competition being run by Changing the Story, Hachette UK Limited’s (‘HUK’) Diversity and Inclusivity initiative. The first prize for this competition is £2,500 and an opportunity to have a book published by Little, Brown, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group Limited (‘LBBG’).  In addition, the First Runner-Up will win £1,500 and a hamper of books, and the Second Runner-Up will win £750 and a hamper of books.  (‘Winner’ means the winner of the first prize.)

2. The prize will be awarded for the most original and exciting proposal for a novel (the ‘Content Criteria‘).

3. Entrants to the competition must be from a Black, Asian or Maginalised Ethnic  (‘BAME’) background, aged at least 18 years and resident in the UK. Entrants must not have had a book published in any format previously by a publisher anywhere in the world or be under contract for publication by such a publisher. These requirements are referred to as the ‘Entrants Criteria’.

4. Entrants are required to submit a Proposal for a novel that fulfils the Content Criteria consisting of: (i) a 700-word synopsis of the plot of the novel; (ii) a list of the novel’s characters; and (iii) the first three chapters (or first 50 pages) of no more than 8,000 words of the novel. The Proposal must be in English and must be double spaced. The document that you upload should be in PDF or Word format and the name of the document should be the title of the novel and your own name.

5. The entries will be judged on the quality of the writing and storytelling, how well they fit the Content Criteria, and the potential based on the synopsis for a full-length novel that would fit with books published under the Little, Brown and Abacus imprint.

6. A longlist of up to twelve Proposals (the ‘Longlisted Proposals’) will be chosen from entries received in accordance with these Terms and Conditions by members of Changing the Story. The Longlisted Proposals will be submitted to five Judges who will include one published writers, an agent and three employees of Hachette UK Limited (together the ‘Judges’).  The Judges will then select a shortlist of up to six Proposals (the ‘Shortlisted Proposals’).  The Winner and two Runners-Up will then be selected by the Judges from the Shortlisted Proposals.

7. The winning Proposals will be the ones that best meet the Content Criteria, have the best quality of writing and the most potential to be a full-length novel and are from entrants who meet the Entrants Criteria. The Judges’ decision is final.

8. The Winner will be offered a publishing contract, such contract to be agreed between the Winner and LBBG. The contract will set out the terms and conditions relating to publication of the book including but not limited to the advance to be paid against royalties, the royalty percentages, details of the rights to be granted and other provisions relating to delivery and production of the book. The Winner will be required to grant all rights in all languages throughout the world.  In the event that no agreement is reached between the Winner and LBBG, HUK may (but shall not be obliged to) offer the publishing contract to the First Runner-Up and if the First Runner-Up and LBBG are also unable to reach an agreement, HUK may (but shall not be obliged to) offer the publishing contract to the Second Runner-Up. If the Winner or either Runner-Up is not able to enter into the contract with LBBG, they may retain their prize money.  The amount of prize money to be awarded to the First or Second Runner-Up shall not be increased in the event that they are offered a publishing contract by LBBG.  Unless they enter into the contract, the original Winner or Runners-Up may not refer to themselves as the Winner of the first prize for this competition.

9. HUK reserves the right to not select any winner from the Shortlisted Proposals if a suitable entry that meets all the criteria set out above cannot be found. In that case the Judges will select the three most promising of the Shortlisted Proposals and the entrants who submitted those Proposals will just be awarded the sums referred to above in order of quality.  HUK also reserves the right to consider for publication any of the Longlisted Proposals by any of the companies within the Hachette UK group of companies. By submitting the Proposal the entrant undertakes and warrants that the Proposal will consist of their own original work and will not infringe the intellectual property rights of anyone.  If a third party’s material is used – such as lyrics of a song – the entrant will secure the necessary permission and will provide it to HUK or LBBG on request.  The entrant further warrants that the work will not contain any material which is defamatory, private or confidential or which is unlawful in any way.  Any entry in breach of this clause will be disqualified from being considered for the shortlist or by the Judges.

10. Entries must be submitted by uploading the entry in Word, ODT or PDF format via the link that is provided on the relevant web page. Entries may be submitted only between 12:01am BST on 23 April 2021 and 11.59pm BST on 23 May 2021.  Any entries received outside these specified times and dates, and any entries that do not meet the requirements of these Terms and Conditions will not be eligible for entry to the competition.

11. The names of the Longlisted Entrants will be announced on HUK’s website on 28 June 2021. The names of the Shortlisted Entrants will be announced on HUK’s website on 29 July 2021. The Winner and Runners-Up will be announced on HUK’s website in September 2021. They will be informed via email and invited to the ceremony. Their names may also be publicised by HUK in other media or on social media sites.

12. The competition is not open to employees of HUK or any company within the Hachette group of companies, their families, or to anyone professionally connected to the competition or to the judges either themselves or through their families.

13. An entrant may only submit one entry. Further entries will be disqualified.  Entries will not be accepted via agents, third parties or in bulk.

14. HUK is not responsible for contacting or responding to entrants who provide unclear or incomplete information or for entries that are lost, misdirected, delayed or destroyed.

15. HUK reserves the right to cancel the competition and to alter the details of the Prizes or judging panels without notice.  No cash alternative or other alternatives to the Prize will be provided.

16. The names and email addresses of entrants (‘Information’) will be collected by HUK and will be used in accordance with its Privacy Notice which can be found here. HUK will be the Data Controller of the Information. Except as set out below, the Information will be deleted once the Winner or another Shortlisted Entrant signs the contract referred to above or once it is determined that there will not be any winners.  The Information will not be shared with anyone outside HUK except for sending the prizes as described below.  The Winner and two Runners-Up will be asked for their bank details so that their prize money may be sent to them.  Such details will be deleted after the money has been sent except insofar as it is necessary for HUK to keep them for its financial records.  The two Runners-Up will be asked to provide their postal addresses in order that they may be sent the hamper of books referred to above. Their names and addresses will be shared with Hachette UK Distribution Limited, HUK’s distributor, so that their prize may be sent to them and will be deleted after the books have been delivered.  The details of the Winner and (if necessary) the Runners-Up will be given to LBBG so that it may discuss the contract with them.  LBBG Privacy Notice can be found here.

17. No purchase is necessary to enter the competition.

18. By entering the competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

19. These Terms and Conditions and any disputes or claims (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of these Terms and Conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of England, whose courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

20. This competition is being organised by Hachette UK Limited, Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0DZ.