Penguin, the UK‘s largest publisher ,is looking for writers – and those who might have recently taken up writing during the current pandemic – to apply to its flagship programme, which aims to find, nurture and publish writers from communities under-represented on the nation’s bookshelves. This includes, but is not isolated to, writers from BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) or LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer) communities, those who have a disability, or come from a socio-economically marginalised background.

While the programme was previously open to entrants from Northern Ireland, this is the first year that those from the Republic of Ireland can apply. To recognise that many writers will be under considerable pressure at home and at work, Penguin have extended this year’s deadline to May 31, 2020.

Penguin is calling for applications from unpublished writers in fiction, non-fiction and children’s/Young Adult genres, who consider themselves under-represented in publishing. To apply, writers are asked to submit 1,000 words of writing, as well describing why they feel their voice is under-represented.

From those who have applied, 150 talented writers will be invited to an online workshop to run on July 11 – this will replace the previously announced workshops in London, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff – where writers will learn more about how to get their book published and receive one-on-one feedback from an editor on their manuscript.

Amongst this group, ten writers will join the WriteNow programme; working directly with a Penguin editor for a year. Geraldine Quigley, from Derry, was one of those chosen in 2017 and in January 2019, published her first book with Penguin Random House (Fig Tree): Music, Love, Drugs, War.

For more information or to apply, click here