Why We Love Competitions for New Talent

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 24 /PRNewswire/ — With the UK phenom Susan Boyle, from the Britain’s Got Talent show, first album topping the charts this holiday season for three weeks running, articles and interviews still abound on what makes us root for the newcomer. And while perhaps there is no one correct answer, it is a fact that people love to see talented “unknowns” become successful “knowns” as has also been observed in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests (now in their 26th year), noted Joni Labaqui, the Contests’ director.

“In recent difficult times, there has been a marked increase in submissions from around the world for both the writing contest and illustrating contest,” stated Labaqui. “It seems everyone has at least a story in them, and many aspire to one day become published.”

More than 600 talented writers and illustrators have been given their opportunity to lead successful professional careers as winners of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests over the past quarter century. And these rookies-turned-pro writers have gone on to publish over 550 novels and 3,000 short stories — accounting for some 31 million books sold — with several winners becoming New York Times best-selling authors, including Jo Beverly, Nancy Farmer, Karen Joy Fowler, Sean Williams, Dave Farland, Kevin J. Anderson and Patrick Rothfuss.

And during these troubled times, or perhaps because of these times, it’s contests such as Britain’s Got Talent and L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future that make it possible for aspiring artists to realize their dreams.

The Writers and Illustrators Contests were initiated by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983 shortly after returning to the field of science fiction with his bestselling novel, Battlefield Earth. Every quarter, three writers and three illustrators are selected by a panel of leading authors and artists of science fiction and fantasy. With no entry fee and judging done on an anonymous basis, the criterion is strictly merit.

Beside first time publication, benefits include over $30,000 in cash prizes and royalties, a week-long workshop with top professionals of the genre as well as book signings, radio and TV interviews organized by the contest administrators to assist the winners to launch their careers.

Writers of the Future Volume 25 is in bookstores now. For more information on the Contests go to www.writersofthefuture.com.

SOURCE Writers of the Future