TLDR: At what stage does theme come into your planning or drafting? Do you have any strategies for selecting it, and keeping things on track? The long version: Theme can be one of the things that really elevates a story/novel, leaving you things to ponder or argue about long after you finish it. It can help dialogue break out from being a simple relaying of plot points and information... But if poorly applied can come across as dry moralistic lecturing, as though the plot grinds to a halt while someone breaks character to deliver a PSA. What do you (of anything) to weave it in naturally and or, are there any examples of writers that do it well for the rest of us to investigate? Alternatively, have you come across poor examples we could break down?

Many, many entries this cycle, well beyond what we had anticipated, and the standard of the writing has made winnowing the longlist unusually difficult. Thank you to everyone who trusted us with their opening pages. The quality was so high that the commended list is longer than in previous cycles. We are releasing the names in no particular order, over the coming days, and a shortlist will be drawn from this group. Today, in no particular order, we are announcing: - Lies on Sale by Gabby Martini - The Impossibility of Eden by Harry Wilson - Beach Dog by Tom McDonough - The Breaking Point by Fiona Harriet - The Taste of Iron by Ramona Slusarczyk - Askar and the Witch by Nina van der Beek - The City of a Thousand Eyes by Angelique Talbot - The Melusine Murders by Jesse Weiner Congratulations to all of them. Many further entries, equally commended, will be announced over the coming days. If your name is not yet here, please don't read into its absence. Names are being released in the order we can write the posts, which has nothing to do with preference, and every remaining commendation carries the same weight as those above.

This is my first contest where there has been a "commended" list. Can someone explain it to me? My understanding is that if you make the commended list it means your work was too notch, but then you are out of the running for placing. Is that correct?

Hi all! Anyone know when the long list/winners will be announced or if I missed it somewhere? On the website it says the winner's would be announced yesterday. (Completely understand any delays, just want to know when my anxiety should spike 😂)

Hello! All Gold package customers should now have their feedback (let me know if you do not at [email protected]). This is a thread for discussion of your feedback, and to ask me any questions about it. Have fun! Edit: Others who have received Silver or Exclusive feedback also very welcome!