First prize will be representation for the winning novel from a Curtis Brown agent and a free place on one of Curtis Brown Creative’s six-month novel-writing courses. The winner gets to choose between our online course and our London-based course. Two runners-up will be offered meetings with one of our agents.

The competition launched on 4th November with the three judges -  international-bestselling author Marian Keyes, actor and TV Book Club panellist Caroline Quentin and Jonny Geller, joint CEO of Curtis Brown – all live on This Morning with hosts Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden. Watch the interview here.

If you’d like to enter the competition, you’ll need to send in the opening of your novel (including any prologue) of up to 3,000 words (minimum 2,500 words) and a one-page synopsis from a proposed novel or novel-in-progress. Entries should be sent by email to beabestseller@itv.com – do read the full information on how to enter on ITV This Morning’s website. The contest runs untill midday on 14th November, so get writing!

Anyone can enter if they’re 18 or over, living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, and writing a novel in English. The novel should be unpublished and the novelist unrepresented. It can be in any genre but should be aimed at adults rather than children.  Full terms and conditions are posted here.

At Curtis Brown Creative, we’re very excited about reading the competition entries. We and the Curtis Brown agents will be teaming up with ITV to choose a shortlist of up to 10 entries for the judges to read.  On 21st November, the judges will meet in our offices to choose the final 5, and it’s intended that the winner and runners-up will be announced live on This Morning on 27th November.

For more information and to send your work