Club news
Written by: Jack
Successful musicians, writers & actors Gary Kemp & Guy Pratt and publishers Hachette UK announce backing for innovative competition for new writers.
Everyone has a novel in them, right? But does everyone have the time to write one? And what if, 100,000 words later, it isn’t any good? Where do you even start? This is where The Rooker Prize comes in…
The Rooker Prize is a writing competition designed to open up the possibility of writing a novel to everyone. Because all entrants have to do is write the opening 250 words of a novel. That’s it. Just that.
Perhaps surprisingly, the competition is the brainchild of a football club. But not just any football club. Lewes FC became 100% fan-owned in 2010 and since then has forged a reputation for using football as an engine for social good. Having democratised football, the club, known as The Rooks, have decided to spread their wings and help to make novel-writing more accessible too.
Following last year’s successful trial run-out, The Rooker Prize has now attracted the interest of podcasters Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) and Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd). They host the UK’s most popular music podcast “The Rockonteurs” where they interview fellow musicians about their career.
Guy Pratt explained: “Rockonteurs is all about great stories, like so many great songs, so I’m all for encouraging storytelling in its many myriad forms. I’m also proud to support my brilliant local team in any way”
Gary Kemp added: “We love encouraging new songwriters, so this feels like an easy step, doing what we can to help new novel writers too. It’ll be fun to see what happens.”
The winner of The Rooker Prize receives a beautiful carved wooden trophy plus £250 to go to the charity of their choice. But from this year, Hachette UK – one of the UK’s leading publishing groups – has stepped in to offer an incredible and exclusive additional prize. The winner will receive an hour’s feedback/coaching session at Hachette UK’s offices in London where their entry will be discussed with an experienced Editor, to hopefully help kickstart a new career.
The only condition for entry is that you have to be an Owner of Lewes Football Club. But that’s easy as anyone in the world can sign up for their single share via the LewesFC.com website.
The Rooker prize is now open for entries.
• Type your 250 word opening to a novel and the book title on one side of A4
• Attach it to an email to Rooker@lewesfc.com with the subject line: ROOKER PRIZE ENTRY, and put your name and contact details in the email.
• Closing date is Thursday 20th April 2023
• The winner will be announced on International Crow and Raven Appreciation Day – April 27th