Pratchett first novel competition

[Jo Zebedee]

Anyone else thinking of going for this, so I can have a nail biting chum? I had Inish Carraig kind of pegged for it early this year, but ran out of steam and thought it would only be a novella... but I picked it up about September, decided it might have legs and have been working pretty non stop at it since. Anyway, it's with betas now, getting another write through, and then another couple of betas are going to look for it, giving me a chance to do a final review and submit, hopefully... (although there's the small matter of Christmas). I won't be submitting to agents before March, though, and really wish I'd another couple of months on it, but a deadline is a deadline, right?

Anyway, here is the link: http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/?p=1348


And the precis:

Must be set on earth, but a different earth from ours, so alternate history, future events etc are all possible. It can't be an alternate reality, though.

80-150000 words, aimed at adult audience.

Needs a synopsis of no more than 600 words. (Gargh, I'll have to do one of those again... Nooooo!)

6 short listed will be informed by end March, the winner by end May.

The prize is a £20000 advance and a publishing contract with Transworld...

Closing date is 31st December.

 

[ctg]

I'm going to do it darling as the HV's three months exclusivity draws to end by December 31. And I'm not afraid of synopsis as I'm going to add bits and pieces to the mini-one.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I was planning to do this, but...

The Muse has decided on a terrific plot involving somone using a time machine to rewrite History. This MIGHT breach the No Alternate Timelines rule, but...

The Muse has decided on an ending to the novel that DEFINITELY breaches the No Alternate Timelines rule. Sigh.

Also, the "novel" is currently only 32,974 words, and many of them are only rough notes. So I'm not quite at the required word count, but...

What the hell. I'm still gonna try. the worst-case scenario, I'm disqualified for alternating my timelines. And maybe the Muse will be gentle.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I don't think a time machine breaks the rules, Deo, so long as they know the effect it has, their objection to a alternate is that if you are in one you don't know it is alternate.

If you get a minute, would you have a quick look at my synopsis on the writing group, see if anything jumps out as against the guidelines? I am still fluid enough to adapt... And nail biting chums, yey! Good luck to us.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

That's the one that's UK only, darn it.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I don't think a time machine breaks the rules, Deo, so long as they know the effect it has, their objection to a alternate is that if you are in one you don't know it is alternate.

If you get a minute, would you have a quick look at my synopsis on the writing group, see if anything jumps out as against the guidelines? I am still fluid enough to adapt... And nail biting chums, yey! Good luck to us.

I'll take a look, but maybe tomorrow when I've got more time.

Good luck to us!

 

[Pyan]

That's the one that's UK only, darn it.

Not quite, TDZ:

This competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over who is a resident of the UK, other countries of the British Commonwealth, and the Republic of Ireland

So if you pop a couple of states north and over the border into Canada for a month or so, presumably you'd be ok...

 

[thaddeus6th]

Damn... I'd be tempted, but even 80k words by the 31st would be far too much. Best of luck, Springs, and anyone else who enters.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I'm weighing it up for my Urban Fantasy. It technically fits as it is set in Blackpool in the 1980s and 1940s. The first draft is a good chunk in because of NaNo but I am struggling with the narrative style. It isn't really alternate Earth except for the fact it has witches, wizards etc I might be better just finishing and sending it out to agents.

 

[Mouse]

'Alternate Earth.' Pah, I say. Pah.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

No, the one thing it can't be is an alternate earth, Mouse. Yours, given an earth with slightly different rules, where people see ghosts etc. might fit.

 

[Mouse]

Eh? It says 'must be set on Earth, but a different Earth from ours.' Mine pretty solidly doesn't qualify, I'd say. Which sucks. (Unless I'm misunderstanding, which is possible!)

 

[allmywires]

I think 'Earth different to ours' is exactly what yours is - angels and demons and seeing dead people don't exist on this planet, unless I'm missing a big old facet of humanity.

 

[The Judge]

I think the line about an alternate [sic -- presumably he/she means alternative?] Earth is that it has to be one with our rules of nature/physics -- the important part being "In short, the story must be theoretically possible on some version of the past, present or future of a planet Earth." So it rather depends on whether you think angels, demons and ghosts are theoretically possible in view of what we know about science.

 

[Mouse]

It says: Anywhere but here, anywhen but now.

Mine's London 2012, so I think I fall at the first hurdle, really. And some people believe ghosts and whatnot exist on this planet, so...

 

[allmywires]

...the important part being "In short, the story must be theoretically possible on some version of the past, present or future of a planet Earth."

Call me cynical, but doesn't that completely negate the premise of sci-fi or fantasy? The whole point is that it's not possible/real (to me). Um, anyway...

It's not very clear, which is annoying. Though if you fancy it, Mouse, may as well submit, what's the worst they're going to do?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well, I've gone for two sets of aliens with ftl technology, and Earth fulfilling the criteria of a goldilocks for at least one. So, theoretically I'm blown out of the water... on the other hand, how do we know there aren't aliens with ftl technology out there?

 

[Mouse]

I haven't got a clue what they're after at all, really. They seem to say one thing, then say the opposite. But I'm gonna stick with their first line making mine a big fat no.

 

[chrispenycate]

Well, I've gone for two sets of aliens with ftl technology, and Earth fulfilling the criteria of a goldilocks for at least one. So, theoretically I'm blown out of the water... on the other hand, how do we know there aren't aliens with ftl technology out there?

"Theoretically possible" allows for a very wide range of theories. Most of the FTL principles out there have at least some mathematical backing, and quantum entanglement, which seems to be digging itself a nice little niche in physics, requires some minor modifications in special relativity, which is the theory which is blocking most of the developments (hey, it's held for a century, which is pretty darn good – not as impressive as Newton, but things go faster nowadays). That, and the quantities of energy required for most of them, but that's just technology.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

The brief has not been very well written. I am hoping the reason it isn't very comprehensible is to allow a wide interpretation of the brief.

I'm hoping my use of pagan incantations and familiars makes mine theoretically possible.