Heartening evidence of quality writing

Graeme Lay says he has come across about 60 outstanding manuscripts so far. Photo / Richard Robinson

Just before Easter six cartons were delivered to my Devonport home. They were crammed full of manuscripts - entries in the Pindar Publishing Prize for the best unpublished manuscript. The manuscripts delivered, co-judge Mia Yardley and I set about reading the 508 entries, a mammoth task.

Administered by the New Zealand Society of Authors and sponsored by publishing company Pindar New Zealand, the New Zealand Herald, AstraPrint and Whitcoulls, the competition was open to an unpublished manuscript in any genre. Among the manuscript mountain are crime stories, memoirs, poetry, short stories, historical fiction, science fiction and travel journals. There is a particularly large number of fantasy fiction manuscripts, testimony to the popularity of this genre with readers - and would-be writers.

The diversity of entries is making the reading of the entries a mixed experience. It's like a tasting competition in which the entries include red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, sherry and liquors - everything is in there. When I pick up each manuscript, I never know quite what's coming.

Entrants were required to submit for the competition not the entire manuscript, but a synopsis of the work and sample chapters from it, enough for the judges to be able to ascertain the quality of the writing. Some people wrote a brilliant synopsis, which raised great expectations of what was coming, but then a writing sample failed to match its quality. And conversely, a dull synopsis often conceals a brilliant couple of sample chapters. Only a few people wrote a tantalising synopsis, then fully delivered on what it promised.

Overall, the standard of the writing is excellent. Most entrants have stories to tell which are imaginative and entertaining. As well, most contradict the widespread belief that standards of literacy are falling. They provide heartening evidence that a great many people not only have the ability to express themselves effectively on the page, but they also have had the energy and commitment to produce manuscripts worthy of being serious contenders for such a competition.

As for the content, there are the usual scenarios: family conflicts, war, office politics, daunting assignments, aspirations realised or dashed. There are many men behaving badly, and lots of plucky women having to cope with them. In the face of much misery, it is always refreshing to come across a manuscript which contains humour. It's a real treat to come upon a genuinely comic scene.

So far I have come across about 60 outstanding manuscripts. Fiction predominates, as a successful novel has an emotional impact which non-fiction finds hard to match. But with only one winner possible, most of these will have to be culled. This is a painful reality, and choosing a single winner will be very difficult.

Mia Yardley of Pindar and I will announce the shortlist of five manuscripts on April 30. A sample of each will be posted online for readers, who can vote for which manuscript they think is best. Instructions for voting will be posted on the Society of Authors' website, www.authors. org.nz. Online voting closes on May 30.

The winner of the award will be chosen through 40 per cent online voting and 60 per cent input from the judges, and the result will be announced on June 15. The manuscript will be professionally edited, designed by Pindar and printed by AstraPrint, and the winning book will be launched in August, marketed through the Herald and sold nationally through Whitcoulls.