Starting September 1st 2015, we’ll be accepting submissions from authors without agents, in the hunt for the next bestselling debut author. The open submissions will close midnight on Sunday 27th September.

At least five winners will be announced in January, and will receive editorial feedback as well as the chance to have their finished manuscript considered for publication. Entrants will be required to send in a one page pitch for their manuscript, plus the first 5,000 words. The novel itself does not have to be finished at the point of submission and all fiction genres will be considered, although the winning manuscripts will all have the potential to be a mass-market bestseller for adults. It must be a debut novel, with the entrant having never been published in print before, or had a deal with a traditional publisher.

All of the entries will be read by either a Twenty7 editor or a member of the team at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

As well as accepting open submissions, we will be posting online content around the 27 days including editor Q&As on Twitter, blogs on writing tips and pieces from the authors already acquired on the list discussing their writing process.

In order to submit, please email your one page pitch and first 5,000 words as a Word document to hello@twenty7books.com with the subject line OPEN SUBMISSIONS – only entries received between 1st and 27th September will be considered – so hold on tight and brush up that pitch!