Greenhouse Funny Prize - Julia Churchill interview

Julia Churchill

A new writing competition related to children's books is currently running (deadline: Monday 30th July 2012). The Greenhouse Funny Prize is looking for comedy writers who can create amusing books for kids. We asked organiser Julia Churchill (pictured) to explain more...

Hi Julia. Could you tell us more about The Greenhouse Funny Prize please?

The Greenhouse is a literary agency which specialises in fiction for children and young adults. I'm always on the lookout for new writing talent and future bestsellers and I set up the prize to up my chances of finding funny books.

Why pick the comedy genre?

I see and sell plenty of dark and more serious fiction but I seldom get manuscripts in that make me laugh.

When I sit down with publishers and ask what they're looking for, the answer is always 'funny. We need humour'. Quality funny voices come along so rarely, and when they do, everyone in our business jumps.

What age group should the entries be aimed at?

Any age group, as long as it's for children or young adults. Our judging criterion is very simple: Funny, and we are wide open to all ages.

The winner may be a picturebook like Olivia or Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus, or a young series like Horrid Henry, Flat Stanley, The Great Hamster Massacre or Mr Gum, or for 8-12 year olds like Lemony Snicket's books or Ramona. It could even be for teen readers, like Louise Rennison, Does My Head Look Big In This?, or The Princess Diaries.

How are you going to judge the entries?

I'm judging it with Leah Thaxton, Publishing Director of Egmont Children's Books and discoverer of Andy Stanton. She's one of the best talent-spotters of humour in the business.

To quote Leah: 'We're looking for a strong new voice that knows itself inside and out and confidently walks the reader through a story.'

Greenhouse Funny Prize - a reader

I can't be prescriptive because there are so many ways to be funny. But I guess we're looking for voice, concept, and character. And something that doesn't feel like it's there already.

The Harry Potter books work for both kids and adults. Should all authors be aiming to replicate this?

Harry Potter is unusual in that respect but it still has a core reader. The core reader for The Philosopher's Stone was round about ten years old. Every book has an element of 'stretch', up and down, from its core reader but Harry Potter had a uniquely mammoth stretch.

I see a lot of books that fail because they are trying to speak to everyone. Crossover only happens in the marketplace, post publication. Every children's book has a core reader.

Good answer! A look in a local library shows shelves and shelves of books - more than one could read in a lifetime. Do we really need any more?

I don't think we'll ever run out of new ways to view the world through fiction.

What sets apart an average writer from a great writer?

Hard work. Integrity with openness. And something you're born with. The great writers are originals.

Crude question: but how much could a new author expect to earn if their first book sells moderately well? Is it enough to quit the day job?

It depends on too many things. How many mouths to feed? What are your mortgage payments? But for a full-time author moderate advances and royalties can be supplemented by events, school visits, packaging work and other writing jobs. But in summary, yes, it's possible.

That's encouraging! Thanks for your time Julia.

To find out more about the Greenhouse Funny Prize visit greenhouseliterary.com

You can follow Julia on Twitter for updates: @JuliaChurchill

Published: Thursday 19th July 2012
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