2022 Novel-in-Development Award: THE LONGLIST

Before we announce the list(s), just a few interesting bits of information from entries this year.
We received (according to our form software) 462 entries for the award this year, up from 398 last year.

As always, Fantasy was the most common genre, mentioned on nearly 30% of entries, Adventure, Funny and Contemporary a little behind.
Nearly 30% of entries started with the word ‘The…’
This longlist consists of 37 novels, with 6 Chapter Books, 21 Middle Grade, 3 Teen and 7 Young Adult.
The genres vary considerably from Fantasy and Adventure (always common), to some Crime/Mystery and even some Sci-Fi!
Also a big thanks to our readers – both kid and adults! Obviously I won’t mention the kids names here, but a big thanks to you and your adult who did the emailing on your behalf!
Lastly, as I said in the email to those who entered earlier, if you didn’t list, this will be bad news and looking at the list (if you even come this far) might be tough.
The truth is, we understand – all the WM team and readers are writers and have entered competitions in the past, and not been listed. Even those who win some competitions then don’t get listed in others. It’s truly a mix of luck, taste and timing.
Competitions are a microcosm of the industry in many ways. Initial hope, long wait times, disappointing emails to conclude. But there is always renewed hope, a new competition around the corner, a new agent actively looking for clients, a mentorship programme to apply for.
Luckily, we do provide some feedback so that, unlike many other situations, you will at least understand the decision making of the reader, and have some feedback to digest and then you can look at your work again with that in mind.
Life is about small steps, and steady improvements – none of us will win them all, none of us will get it right all or even most of the time. All we can hope for is to be better tomorrow than we are today.
The longlist (in alphabetical order) is below:
Across The Moonlight Bridge | Vikki McLean |
An Awkward Conversation With Hitler | Rob Love |
Architect | Megan Hopkins |
Captain Tuna and the Nostrils of Doom | Sarah McDermott |
CARRIGAN CARTER AND THE MAP OF MYSTERY | Estelle Grace Tudor |
Curse of the Grey Eye | Emily M. Bailey |
Flannan Girl | Alison Padley-Woods |
George and the Dragons | Sarah Frend |
Grace Hopgood and the Drowned Town | Ruth Cooper |
Hairy Hiccups | Laura Mitchell |
HAMSTER BOY | Kayleigh Keam |
How to Help a Hero | Rebecca J. Carlson |
Inky’s Island | Joanna Oldman |
Kashi and The Thousand Petal Lotus | Binti Kasilingam |
Lexi Lambert’s Suburban Murder Squad | Jo Dutton |
LIFECYCLE | Steve Blackman |
Liminalia | Sally Gales |
Loser Boy: Destiny Calls! | Matt Cowan |
MEH TO MAH-VELOUS | NJ Corsini |
Ortun and the Seakers | Angela Yates |
Puddle Boy | Natasha Raymond |
Railers | Andrew Stevenson |
The All New Alex Anderson | Libby Prcha |
The Alpaca Kidnapper | Hazel Knox |
The Haunting of Sally Spillane | Vikki Marshall |
The Hourglass Thief | Catherine Cawley |
The Magpie’s Song | Julia Wakefield |
THE MOONGARDENER’S DAUGHTER | Bruna De Luca |
THE SECRETS OF WILDE WATERS | Kristina Wilson-Brown |
The Time Key | Debbie Longstaff |
The Undead Journals of Alex Abbott | Louise Austin |
Uncle Ulric’s Home For Unusual Animals | Jason Lang |
Where Our Truth Lies | Alice Hodges |
Wick Wood | Lucy Mohan |
Woofy Secret Agent-In-Training | Helen Addyman |
You Have Selected Power Drive | Lucas Maxwell |
Readers Favourites
Adult Readers | Kid Readers |
---|---|
Ash | CUSTODIANS OF EARTH |
Authentically Dolly | ERIN AND THE KING HERODS MYSTERY |
Grace Hopgood and the Drowned Town | It’s All Completely Hopeless |
HEIRS & HEIRESSES | Jack Black and the Space Rats |
How to Help a Hero | JAT-D |
Lexi Lambert’s Suburban Murder Squad | Max Brighton and the Alliance of Amazing Illusionists |
Loser Boy: Destiny Calls! | MI9 and the Missing Scientist |
Old Money | Miss Elder’s Fairy Tale Academy |
Roam | My Own Dark Way |
Stargran: Attack of the Alien Grandmas | OFELIA AND THE NIGHT THEATRE |
THE AFTERWOODS | On Display |
The Clockmaker’s Apprentice | Roots of Blood and Bone |
The Hourglass Thief | Scarlett Jenkins and the Case of the Missing Grandmother |
The Undead Journals of Alex Abbott | Shade of Green |
Uncle Ulric’s Home For Unusual Animals | Stay And Watch Me Die |
Picture This | The Afterlife of Juniper Quick |
Puddle Boy | The Bee Seekers |
The Bookbinder’s Curse | |
The Clouds | |
The Company | |
THE MOONGARDENER’S DAUGHTER | |
The Relic Divers | |
THE SECRETS OF WILDE WATERS | |
The Thing With Anger | |
The War Between the Peeps and the McClockys | |
The Wishing Willow | |
Uncle Ulric’s Home For Unusual Animals |
[…] the shortlist and long list announcements from this year’s […]
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