I heard about this competition a couple of week ago. From The Times:

“Waterstone’s and Faber and Faber have just launched The Wow Factor — a competition offering as its prize a publishing and marketing deal that most first-time authors can only dream of. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7-1673967_1,00.html”

Hyperbole. A 1000 pound advance and 7.5% sales is not a deal that can only be dreamed of. It is below market rate. The only benefit to this is getting your name splashed everywhere and hopefully selling you second book on the back of it.

On that though I decided to enter, though I’ve never written anything with a specific age range in mind before. I came up with a plot idea for this the same day I heard of it. Pulled it about for a few days until I decided I hated it and dropped it. As soon as I’d admitted that the first idea wasn’t a winner a second arrived, and it was much better.

I now have 5 days, in fact just the evenings, left to write three chapters and a synopsis. It’s a decent enough plot, wholly commercial with dark/humour aspects and open enough for subsequent books. Crossing Charles de Lint, JKR, Eoin Colfer and, although somewhat unlikely for a kids book, Laurell K Hamilton. I’m making the assumption you know most of them.

It should make for an interesting mix of notions. Over the weekend I’ve written 1750 words, I’m guessing that three chapters plus synopsis will run to about 5-6000 words. A lot of it is still rubbish of course but the idea, form and narrative is down.

Two more chapters to go.

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