Jessica Jarlvi Author and I held a workshop on Saturday for those intending to enter the annual Montegrappa Writing Prize, held by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. I won the competition in 2013, and Jessica was a runner-up in 2016 – since then, we’ve both gone on to become published authors.
In 90 minutes, we covered what you need to do to win: namely, submit a killer synopsis and the first 2,000 words of your work, which should begin with an intriguing hook. We worked on how to create your elevator pitch, how to work that up into a synopsis, and examined what the synopsis needs to cover. We also looked at opening sentences that would grab the attention of the judge, ways to create three-dimensional characters, how to pace your action, and did some work on the famous ‘show, don’t tell’. In the words of Chekhov, ‘Don’t tell me the Moon is shining – show me the glint of light on broken glass.’
At the end, Jessica and I sat one-by-one with the participants and gave individual feedback on their potential competition entries to help them get their work into the best possible shape.
Even if you weren’t at our workshop, there’s still time to enter the Montegrappa Writing Prize – and you could win the attention of top London agent, Luigi Bonomi. Details at emirateslifest.com ... See MoreSee Less
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*** ATTENTION BUDDING WRITERS ***
The 2020 Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Airline festival of Literature is now open for registration.
Want to win? Past winners, Jessica Jarlvi Author and myself are hosting a workshop to help you get your synopsis and opening pages up to speed, including one-on-one feedback on your entry. Don't miss out!
For more info: www.elfdubai.org/en/montegrappa-writing-prize-workshop ... See MoreSee Less
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👀 Readers in the USA, you can now get your hands on ‘I Know You’ (Crooked Lane Books). It’s out today! 👀
Want to know more? Check out the hundreds of ratings and reviews it’s received on Goodreads! www.goodreads.com/book/show/36589597-i-know-you?ac=1&from_search=true ... See MoreSee Less
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So grateful to all who have read
#IKnowYou and posted such thoughtful and wonderful reviews 💖 Thank you 💖
#bookbloggers #books #bookreviews #amreading ... See MoreSee Less
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Throwback to the wonderful Emirates Airline Festival of Literature last month. Honoured to be a part of it 🙏🏼 ... See MoreSee Less
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My experience of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2019 in pictures. For more details, see annabelkantaria.com/highlights-of-the-emirates-litfest-2019/ ... See MoreSee Less
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What does social media do for us? Does it help us feel more connected to others, or is it just white noise – a distraction from the things we really should be doing?
Is it fanning the flames of narcissism and creating a generation of youngsters who measure their worth by the sum of their ‘Likes’ or is it an invaluable tool for a global population?
Win tickets to my social media panel this Thursday! Details here: bit.ly/2H1TVBl ... See MoreSee Less
Win tickets to my social media panel! | Annabel Kantaria
annabelkantaria.com
What does social media do for us? Does it help us feel more connected to others, or is it just white noise – a distraction from the things we really should be doing? Is it fanning the flames of narcissism and creating a generation of youngsters who measure their worth by the sum of their ... A few pix from m the school visits I’ve done last week and this week as part of the up-coming Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. I visited The Oxford School and GEMS Founders Al Mizhar School and was bowled over by the enthusiasm of the pupils and staff. What would make my day? Having one (or more!) of those children sign their own published book for me! ... See MoreSee Less
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Four years ago I was an unpublished writer; now I have four books out and the latest about to launch in the USA. If I can do it, so can you - and I want to help you! Come to my Masterclass on how to write a novel at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature this March and let’s see what we can achieve! tickets.emirateslitfest.com/p-2283-how-to-write-a-novel-a-masterclass-in-30-tips-with-annabel-kan... ... See MoreSee Less
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'How do I get my work read by a literary agent?' This was the main question people asked yesterday when I spoke on the radio, so I've put a few tips on my website. annabelkantaria.com/how-do-i-get-a-literary-agent/ There's also a link to the podcast in the article. Any more questions, get in touch, and thanks to Helen Farmer of Dubai Eye for inviting me onto her show! ... See MoreSee Less
How do I get a literary agent? | Annabel Kantaria
annabelkantaria.com
I was a guest on the Afternoons with Helen Farmer show on Dubai Eye yesterday, talking about writing and getting published with fellow author Brandy Scott. Her debut Not Bad People, about a group of friends who suspect they may have caused a light aircraft to crash when they launched a Chinese lante... Unpublished authors, I'm talking on the radio with Brandy Scott and Helen Farmer today about agents, submissions and different routes to publication. Brandy's first novel 'Not Bad People' was published yesterday, and I have four novels currently out and a fifth on the way.
Catch us on @DubaiEye1038FM from 3-4pm GMT+4. Overseas? Listen online: dubaieye1038.com #amwriting #AskAuthor #writingfiction ... See MoreSee Less
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will soon be upon us and I'm delighted to say I'll be teaching a 90-minute Masterclass on how to write a novel (in 30 tips!). Whatever stage you're at, come along and hopefully we'll get you a little further toward completing your first manuscript. Sat 9 March, 4-5.30pm, InterContinental Dubai Festival City, AED 200. Link to tickets in Linked-In article. ... See MoreSee Less
Happy New Year! How was it for you? My 2019 got off to a cracking start with the news that 'I Know You' will be published as a hardback in the USA by @crookedlanebooks this coming June.
It's on Netgalley for reviews: netgal.ly/CiCXXW and on Amazon for pre-orders: www.amazon.com/I-Know-You-Novel-Suspense/dp/1643851101/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546534750&sr=8-2&k...
Happy reading! #amreading ... See MoreSee Less
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Hello friends, if anyone's looking for a stocking filler or Secret Santa gift, a book is a great idea! Mine are all available on Amazon - 'I Know You' is currently on offer at 99p on Kindle in the UK store - and, in Dubai, Magrudy's will deliver for free to your house if you order here: magrudy.com/books/?q=Annabel+Kantaria ... See MoreSee Less
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I had a wonderful evening on Monday mingling with my fellow HQ crime writers at HQ's HQ in London. Lots of fantastic crime fiction coming out in 2020! Yes, that's me photo-bombing... For more: annabelkantaria.com/hq-crime-fiction-showcase/ ... See MoreSee Less
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This is s life-changing competition for wannabe authors, and Jess and I are on hand to help you get your entry up to speed. Any questions, DM me ... See MoreSee Less
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Have you got what it takes to write a bestseller?
UAE-based writers, if you're interested in entering the EAFOL's Montegrappa writing competition, do send in your entry, then sign up for this workshop I'm running with one of 2016's winners, Jessica Jarlvi... between us we have six books published, and we'll also giving one-to-one feedback on your synopsis and first 1,000 words.
elfdubai.org/newsletter/ebull-montegrappa-workshop2019.html ... See MoreSee Less
