The goal is to provide encouragement and development of new or emerging writers of prose fiction or narrative non-fiction who have their sights on publishing.

Main components of the Pathways include:

SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

Each application will be considered by a highly experienced selection panel.

Those writers not selected for proceeding to the second stage, will all receive comments on their work.

They then have the opportunity to book in for a Phone Consultation - see News & Diary section towards the end of November for more information.

Those selected to proceed to stage 2 (usually between 20 and 30) will be asked to send as much of their projects as is currently readable. The selection panel will then decide on 15 projects that will be sent to the HarperCollins editors. 5 of these projects will be selected by the editors and these writers will be offered a place in the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development Residential Program.  The 5 writers for the Pathways to Publication Masterclass will generally be selected from stage 2 projects.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

• An application for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development is an application for the The Pathways to Publication Program
• The Pathways to Publication Program is available to people of 18 years and over.
• The Pathways program is available to Australian citizens or writers permanently resident in Australia.
• Applicants should be either new (no significant commercial publication record) or emerging (no more than one significant commercial publication) writers. A writer who has a significant publication record (for example as a poet or as a writer of illustrated books for children, or as a journalist) but no major publication in the field of fiction or narrative non-fiction. 
• We are looking for compelling and individual new voices.
• A writer who is contracted to any publisher for the project should not apply.
• Projects in all commercially viable genres of fiction or narrative non-fiction will be considered, including young adult, junior, fantasy, romance, popular, crime, literary, travel, life writing, biography, etc.
• We are looking for projects with an established sense of direction and with clear potential for publication.
• It's hard to define exactly the stage a project should be at. We do recommend that the writer has the project well in motion and has a clear sense of direction. In general, HarperCollins editors will choose to work with a manuscript that is ready for editorial work. Projects at a less advanced stage may well be selected for the Pathways to Publication Masterclass, which concentrates on development work rather than editorial work.

COSTS OF THE PROGRAM

The application cost is $55 (and is paid for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development).

The  phone consultation cost is $110. 

The cost for the writers selected for the Pathways to Publication Residential Masterclass is $275, payable at least a month before the commencement of the program. This includes board and lodging provided by Varuna. Travel expenses are the responsibility of each writer, but State or Territory Arts Ministries regularly assist with Varuna-related expenses. A support letter will be provided on request.

FORMAT OF PROGRAM

The The Pathways to Publication Residential Masterclass takes place over 7 days at Varuna in an environment wholly dedicated to writing. The essential feature of a Pathways Residential Masterclass is the availability of regular one-on-one consultations with the Creative Director, Peter Bishop. There is much independent time to develop the project. A follow-up service, involving a full reading plus consultation, is available by arrangement at a cost of $220.

Phone Consultations are available to those not selected to go on to stage 2 - please see News & Diary section for more information.

Consultations are given by experienced consultants. The past experience of consultations has been  immensely positive. One writer emailed us:

DEADLINE: END OCTOBER EACH YEAR

All applications must be postmarked no later than the 31st October 2007.

(Please note: the application form is for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for  Manuscript Development)

HOW YOU WILL BE INFORMED

• A list of the writers selected to go on to stage 2 of the Awards will be posted on the Varuna website under News & Diary by November 30 and these writers will be required to submit full manuscripts no later than December 10 2007.
• The writers who have not been selected will receive a short comment on their work by mail.
• The names of the final 15 writers, whose projects will be submitted to HarperCollins editors, will be posted on the website by January 15 2008.
• The names of the writers selected for the Pathways to Publication Residential Masterclass will be posted on the website under News & Diary by [January 15 - must be subsequent to decision by HC ie end Feb] 2008.
• The names of the final 5 writers selected for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development Residential Program will be posted on the website by the end of February 2008.
  

HOW TO APPLY

To apply please read The Varuna Guidelines and then complete the Varuna Application Form.

CONTACTING THE WRITERS HOUSE

141 Cascade St, Katoomba, NSW 2780, Australia

Telephone: (02) 4782 5674 - International callers: +61 2 47 82 5674

Fax: (02) 4782 6220 - International faxes: +61 2 47 82 6220
Email: varuna@varuna.com.au - click here to email Varuna

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Site most recently updated 6 March, 2008.

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