• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Writing Tips Oasis

  • Guides
  • Publishing
  • Writing & Editing
  • Marketing
  • Contact
  • About
  • Free Novel Writing Course

News – Desmond Elliott Prize Shortlist Announced

By Novelicious

This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.

The Desmond Elliott Prize 2014The annual Desmond Elliott Prize, which has been dubbed the “most prestigious award for first-time novelists” by the Telegraph, announced its shortlist yesterday.

The three nominated novels are The Letter Bearer by Robert Allison (Granta), Ballistics by D.W. Wilson (Bloomsbury) and Eimear McBride’s A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing (Galley Beggar Press).

McBride’s debut has already won the 2013 Goldsmiths prize and has made the shortlist for the 2014 Folio Prize and the 2014 Baileys Prize. Her appearance on yet another respected literary radar might see more than a few publishers cursing themselves for allowing her debut to slip through the net. The Irish novelist’s book was repeatedly rejected by major publishers and, despite being written in just six months, took nine years to finally become published.

Chair of judges and best-selling author, Chris Cleave said: "To pick a shortlist was to measure owls against swifts. All of us on the panel agreed on six books that deserved to make the cut, so it was heartbreaking to have to choose three – but we were all happy with this shortlist. As a novelist, a critic and a bookseller we loved these books from all angles and we believe that this list continues the Desmond Elliott tradition of bravery, excellence and flair.”

The winner will be named on 3 July and will receive £10,000. Last year's winner was Ros Barber with her work The Marlowe Papers.

You can read our interview with Eimear McBride here.

Sign up to our FREE Novice to Novel email course

Join over 3000 writers and receive 1 lesson per week for 52 weeks to help you write your first novel in 1 year!

the big bang theory dvd
    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Built with ConvertKit

    Filed Under: News

    Primary Sidebar

    The following banner contains an affiliate link. If you click it and purchase a book editing service from Ebook Launch, Writing Tips Oasis receive a small % of the sale.

    Footer

    Copyright © 2023 · Writing Tips Oasis -- Terms and Conditions -- Privacy Policy