Festival of Writing: Friday Night Live

Festival of Writing: Friday Night Live

Who can enter Friday Night Live? 

We encourage every attendee to enter Friday Night Live. 

However, if you already have an agent or are traditionally published at the time of entry, we ask that you leave this opportunity for those who could most benefit from it. 

This also includes any writer who has a contract with a traditional publisher but their book has yet to be published. If you have been previously self-published you are eligible. If you have previously been represented by an agent but are no longer represented, you are eligible for entry.  


Which genres is Friday Night Live suitable for? 

Friday Night Live is suitable for entries from all genres, including memoir, non-fiction, and children’s. 


What format should I submit? 

All documents must be Word documents (.doc or .docx). 

If you do not have access to Word, there are some programs you can use to convert from other formats. 


How do I submit? 

Once you have purchased your ticket, you will be able to access your My Festival page. From here you will see a button to upload your Friday Night Live entry. You can also visit the Friday Night Live entry page directly from https://jerichowriters.com/events/friday-night-live-at-the-festival-of-writing-2025/.  

If you are unable to view the entry form on this page, please make sure you are logged into your Weekend or Saturday ticketholder account. 


How many words can I submit? 

The limit is 500 words, and we do ask that you stick to that as closely as possible to the nearest sentence end.


Does it have to be the first 500 words? 

You will need to submit the first 500 words of your manuscript. During the judging process, all entries will be read and judged under the assumption that they represent the opening of the manuscript. 


When is the deadline? 

The deadline for uploading your Friday Night Live entry is 23:59 BST on 9 June. 


Do I need a completed manuscript in order to enter? 

No, you can enter Friday Night Live with an incomplete manuscript. However, please be aware that if you’re chosen as the winner, you will only have one year to redeem your prizes, which include a Manuscript Assessment and a 30-minute Agent One-to-One session. 


Can I alter my submission after I’ve uploaded it? 

All submissions are final. 
The deadline for uploading your entry is 23:59 BST on 9 June, so please take the time to make sure that you are happy with your submission before uploading them. 

How is Friday Night Live judged? 

The initial round of judging takes place anonymously. All entries will be read by two reader judges on the Jericho Writers’ Team, and the entries are each given a score out of 10. This takes into account, the quality of the writing, the initial shaping of your plot, and how much your opening captivates the reader. 

The finalists, shortlist, and longlist will be made based on these scores.  

And the final is judged by the audience! The winner will be chosen via digital vote at our Friday Night Live event. 


I can't see the entry form for Friday Night Live.

If you are unable to view the entry form on this page, please make sure you are logged into your Weekend or Saturday ticketholder account. 
You can log in by following this link - https://jerichowriters.com/my-account/.
You will then be able to access this page by following this link - https://jerichowriters.com/my-festival-of-writing/.
If you still cannot access this page, please contact us at info@jerichowriters.com for support.


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