COLUMBIA, S.C. – In honor of the 40th Anniversary of the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Commission and its literary partners are pleased to announce a call for submissions for the inaugural South Carolina First Novel Competition. The application deadline is January 2, 2008; the award winner will be announced in May 2008. Partnering with the SC Arts Commission and the Hub City Writers Project for the First Novel Competition are the South Carolina State Library and the Humanities Council SC. The contest will be judged by a nationally recognized writer.

“In his Nobel speech, Faulkner said that writers struggle to ‘create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before,’” said Sara June Goldstein, director of literary arts for the SC Arts Commission. “The partners have high expectations for the First Novel Competition because it is a unique opportunity to appreciate the depth and breadth of the work of our remarkable SC writers, and then to get the best of that fine writing into the hands of our state’s readers.”

The winning author will receive a book contract with the Hub City Writers Project, which guarantees a $1,000 advance against royalties,. Hub City will publish at least 1,200 hardback copies of the book, including a book for every public library branch in the state. 

"The Hub City Writers Project looks forward to publishing the winner of the First Novel Competition and to sharing the work of a deserving SC writer with readers around this state and beyond," said Betsy Teter, executive director of the Hub City Writers Project.

First Novel Competition eligibility requirements and application guidelines.

Or calll (803) 734-8696.