The Marilyn Brown Unpublished Novel Competition recently moved to a new home in UVU’s Department of English & Literature. The $1000 award has changed from being awarded every two years to being awarded annually and is open to all members of the community, whether they are students at the university or not.
Brown said she envisioned the award being able to benefit “writers of any race, locale or religion who wish to compete.” She selected UVU because the university had the means, status and community-oriented policies to allow the award to meet that vision.
In addition to the monetary assistance, the award also gives novelists helpful encouragement in their efforts to see their work published. “Publishing a novel is a genuine challenge these days,” said Jen Wahlquist, associate professor of English & literature at UVU and administrator of the award. “Winning the Marilyn Brown award can provide a boost to new novelists and can add strength and credibility to their resume when they approach a publisher.”
Novels submitted for the competition must be at least 200 pages in length and unpublished. The novel must also be mainstream and focused on realistic cultural experiences of the Utah Region. Science fiction or fantasy novels will not be considered for the award.
Previous winners include Todd Robert Peterson for his novel “Rift,” Janean Justham for “House Dreams” and Jeff Call for “Mormonville.”
Entries for the award must be submitted by Oct. 1. For more information on entry format or about the award, contact Jen Wahlquist at wahlquje@uvu.edu or visit www.uvu.edu/english
