Myriad Editions announces First Graphic Novel Competition

Scouting through the large number of graphic novel publishers at the London Book Fair, I came across news of a graphic novel competition being run by Brighton-based publisher Myriad Editions, publishers of the brilliant Rumblestrip album by Woodrow Phoenix some time back.

This is their first ever competition for a first graphic novel; the entry may be by a single author or may be a collaboration between a writer and artist. The winner will have the opportunity to develop their work in progress with Myriad's creative and editorial team with a view to being offered a contract and publication by Myriad in 2012/13.

The winner will be announced in January 2012 at the First Fictions Festival, organised by Myriad Editions in partnership with the University of Sussex and the closing date for the competion is Monday 1st October 2011.

The winning entry will be an extract from a narrative work in progress – fiction or non-fiction – and will be chosen purely on the strength and promise of the art and writing by a panel of expert judges, including: Steve Bell, cartoonist (Guardian); Hannah Berry, graphic novelist (Britten & Brulightly); Ed Hillyer (Ilya), cartoonist (King Lear, Skidmarks) and author (The Clay Dreaming); Corinne Pearlman, Creative Director, Myriad Editions
Ian Rankin, author (Inspector Rebus series and other novels); and Bryan Talbot, graphic novelist (Grandville, Alice in Sunderland, The Tale of One Bad Rat)

The competition is open to all cartoonists, writers and artists who have not previously published a graphic novel. A completed entry form, submission of a one page synopsis and between 15-30 pages of a graphic work in progress (fiction or non-fiction, with or without words, capable of being reproduced in black/white/greyscale) should be sent by post, with a covering letter and a cheque for £10 (made payable to Myriad Editions) to the address on the publisher's web site here.


(The entry fee is towards the administrative costs including photocopying, printing and postage and is a pretty standard thing for such competitions - when I ran the Lancaster litfest poetry competition it was accepted the entry fee was to cover costs).

The shortlist will be decided in December 2011 and the winner will be announced in January 2012 at the First Fictions Festival.

The submitted works must be intended for printing in black / greyscale only; in English;

submitted by email (PDF) or posted (photocopy of an original work) together with a cheque made payable to ‘Myriad Editions’ sent to the address on the web site. Entries that are not accompanied by the entrance fee cannot be accepted.

• For full conditions of entry or to download an entry form go to www.myriadeditions.com/FGNC