Just under a year ago (last December) I wrote on this blog that I was looking for children’s fiction submissions from debut BAME writers.
Here’s part of what I said at the time:
“I think that it’s incredibly important that our industry represents a wide range of voices, not only so that children from every background can recognise their own lives and experiences in the books that they read, but also simply to enrich the body of children’s literature that we publish, by moving out of a monoculture and embracing a wider world of ideas.
It’s an area in which we could definitely do better, which is why today I’m posting this open call for children’s fiction submissions (so, anything in the 5 – 12 age range, but I’d be especially interested in 9 – 12, aka “middle grade”) from BAME writers. I’m very happy to receive submissions from agented and un-agented authors – and although I’d particularly like to see children’s fiction submissions from debut writers, if you’ve already been published, I’d still be very pleased to hear from you.”
Just under a year, and several hundred submissions, later, I thought that I’d give an update on this project.
I didn’t give a closing date for this call for submissions, and I wanted this to be an ongoing, open-ended project. And so the call for submissions from BAME debut authors is still very much open!
So, to reiterate, I’m looking for children’s fiction (not picture books) – from BAME authors. I can’t consider texts that have already been published, and although I’m particularly interested in seeing texts from debut authors, if you have already been published, I’d still be happy to hear from you. You can be agented or un-agented. I’ll consider writing in any genre.
If you’d like to submit something, you can email me at [email protected] – ideally with a synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript. I’ll reply to everyone who submits something, but it might take a week or so before you hear from me, so please don’t be discouraged if it takes a while!
If you have any questions, please do send me a message. And if you’ve written something, please send it in!
