The Big Idea
Budding children's authors are reminded that the nationwide search to discover the next big story idea for children - "The Big Idea" - closes in two weeks, on 2 September.
Organised by the Blair Partnership, the rights management agency which also acts as J K Rowling's agents and business managers, the competition will be judged by TV broadcaster Tess Daly and experts from the book, film, TV and theatre world.
Its mission statement is to "challenge convention on how great ideas become stories today" and be brought to life and made into new narratives in book, film, TV, theatre or gaming.
Entrants should outline their original idea in up to 750 words, describing what happens in the story, who's in it, where it takes place and the type of audience it's intended for.
Apart from Tess Daly, the judges will comprise: Neil Blair (J K Rowling's agent), Children's publisher Barry Cunningham, film producer Debra Hayward, Sonia Friedman the theatre producer, and children's author and literary critic Philip Ardagh.
The winners will each receive £1,000 plus the chance to see their idea come to life, with one overall winner offered the prize of a publishing contract and the promise of their idea being nurtured, developed and written by a well-known author.
The publishing contract "will be in line with industry standards, with a shared royalty on every copy sold". The six winners could additionally see their idea work across a variety of media platforms, including film, TV, gaming, websites, apps and stage, with a commensurate royalty share.