Books

13 Apr 10

Exeter College's literary alumni have included JRR Tolkein, Philip Pullman and Martin Amis.

Oxford student Richard Mason was in his first year at the university when he was offered a reported six-figure advance for his debut novel, The Drowning People, and became one of Britain’s most famous young novelists.

Now a new prize being offered in association with Exeter College is hoping to find further examples of literary talent in Oxford’s student community.

The Christopher Little Literary Agency, which represents JK Rowling, among others, is offering an annual prize for student novelists. The prize, which will be awarded through Exeter College, is worth £1,500 in cash. It also carries with it the possibility of being represented by the agency, which works with 175 publishers in 100 countries.

The prize will be given for the best synopsis and opening three chapters of a novel by an Oxford student. It is open to graduates and undergraduates on any full time course of the collegiate University, provided they are not already represented by an agent.

Both the winner and the runners-up will be chosen by the agency, and may be offered the possibility of representation.

Entries for the inaugural competition are to be submitted by the end of Trinity Term and a presentation will be held for the winner at Exeter at the start of the following Michaelmas Term.

Frances Cairncross, Rector of Exeter College, said: ‘Exeter College is delighted to be working with the Christopher Little Literary Agency to find new talent among Oxford students. This innovative partnership will be a wonderful chance to give a promising young writer a start on a literary career.’

Exeter College has been the home of a number of famous authors, including JRR Tolkien, Alan Bennett, Philip Pullman, Martin Amis and Will Self. And former Exeter graduate student Amy Sackville’s debut novel, The Still Point, is on the long-list for this year’s Orange Prize for Fiction.

The Christopher Little Literary Agency represents a range of authors covering adult fiction and non-fiction, and children’s fiction, and its authors include JK Rowling.