Launch Pad Prose Competition
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With nearly a decade of experience in promoting up-and-coming writers and exciting projects, the Launch Pad Competitions deliver on what our name suggests. We launch careers.
The Launch Pad Prose Competition has led to twelve books published, projects set up at AppleTV, Showtime, and with producers and companies that include Scott Free Productions, Michael De Luca productions, Platform One Media, and Laura Dern's Jaywalker Pictures.
Manuscript not completed, no problem. Whether you have a ten page short story or a 1,000 page fantasy epic, we want to read it! There’s no need to have a finished manuscript. As long as you have sample pages accompanied by a thorough synopsis, you are welcome to enter! Our readers and judges will review up to 50 pages of every submission, as well as a synopsis for book submissions.
We advocate for all of our Top 100 finalists, working with each of them to develop compelling bios and loglines, and sharing their work with targeted industry professionals. Our prestigious industry juries include managers, agents, producers and executives across top companies in film, television and publishing. Our track record speaks for itself. Enter now to join this tradition of Launch Pad success.
Benefits
JUDGES
Top projects are considered by our incredible jury who know and love manuscripts.
JOHN BUDERWITZ
Director of Development - Amblin Partners
John Buderwitz is Director of Development at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Pictures, the studio behind such recent hits as WEST SIDE STORY, READY PLAYER ONE, BRIDGE OF SPIES and the JURASSIC WORLD series, in addition to television projects like ROSWELL NEW MEXICO (CW), HALO (Paramount+) and RESIDENT ALIEN (SyFy).
SARAH GERTON
Agent - Curtis Brown Ltd.
Sarah Gerton is an agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd., building a list of fiction and narrative nonfiction for middle grade and young adult readers. While fantasy is her first love, she’s eager to read YA and MG fiction of all genres, gravitating toward character-driven stories with unforgettable settings. She graduated from Wesleyan University and the Columbia Publishing Course.
RYAN WILSON
Manager, Media Rights - Anonymous Content
Ryan Wilson is a manager at Anonymous Content, specializing in Media Rights. Anonymous Content is a prolific management and production company behind such high-profile films as Best Picture winner SPOTLIGHT, as well as recent projects like SWAN SONG, OUTLAW KING and BOY ERASED. On the television side, they have produced series such as DICKINSON (Apple TV+), MR. ROBOT (FX) and HOMECOMING (Amazon).
SOPHIE KAPLAN
Director of Development - 3000 Pictures
Sophie Kaplan is Director of Development at 3000 Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures behind upcoming film adaptations of bestselling novels like Kazuo Ishiguro’s KLARA AND THE SUN, Delia Owens’ WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Kristin Hannah’s THE NIGHTINGALE starring Elle and Dakota Fanning. Sophie was previously VP of Development at StoryBy Entertainment.
PAULA MUNIER
Agent - Talcott Notch Literary Agency
Paula Munier is a literary agent and the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries. She joined Talcott Notch Literary Services in 2012 as Senior Agent and Content Strategist and is looking for good crime fiction, women’s fiction, mainstream fiction, high-concept YA and SF/Fantasy fiction, as well as nonfiction.
KIM YAU
Manager - Echo Lake Entertainment
Kim Yau began her career in Hollywood in 2011 working at the Cheng Caplan Company. In 2015, she transitioned to Paradigm Talent Agency as a Media Rights Agent, handling the sale of film/TV rights for intellectual property including books, comics, graphic novels, articles, podcasts, blogs, and life rights. Kim continues to specialize in intellectual property at Echo Lake and is particularly passionate about supporting and advocating for diverse voices and creators.
EMILY HARDY
VP of Creative Affairs - Fineman Entertainment
Emily Hardy is VP of Creative Affairs at Fineman Entertainment under EP Ross Fineman, supporting all development and production. Current TV series include BIG SKY (ABC), THE LINCOLN LAWYER (Netflix) and AVALON (ABC) coming soon from David E. Kelley. Emily got her start as an actor and producer before transitioning to development -- she's worn so many hats in Hollywood, she's become a Swiss army knife for storytelling.
TYLER VENDETTI
Manager, Development - iTV Studios America
Tyler is a Manager of Development at ITV Studios America, ITV Studios’ LA-based independent scripted television operation. Previously, she served as a WPA on a number of productions including SWAMP THING for DC Universe and DEAD TO ME for Netflix. She holds a B.A. in English and Film & New Media from Wheaton College (Massachusetts) and is an alum of the NBCUniversal Page Program.
AMANDA JAIN
Agent - Bookends Literary
Amanda began her career in publishing at W. W. Norton, where she spent seven years before pursuing a masters degree in history of the decorative arts. She rejoined publishing shortly thereafter at Inklings Literary Agency. Amanda currently reps adult romance, mystery, upmarket fiction, and science fiction & fantasy, with a special emphasis on historical fiction in all genres.
TESSA SHAFFER
Literary Manager - Corvisiero Literary Agency
Tessa Shaffer is a Literary Manager for screenwriters at Corvisiero Literary Agency and she also represents a small, select, number of authors in genres from Middle Grade to Non-fiction. She's on the lookout for writers who excel at both novels and scripts, and has a passion for book-to-screen adaptations.
ISABELLA MASTRODICASA
Founder, Manager - Never Settle Media
Isabella is an LA-based manager and producer. She started her career at Verve Talent & Literary Agency in the Motion Picture department and worked at The Kennedy Marshall Company. After a few years working in management at Heroes and Villains Entertainment and launching their digital department, she founded Never Settle Media in 2022 with the purpose of nurturing digital content creators and international filmmakers in the entertainment industry.
PRIZES
2 Grand Prize Winners | (Best Book & Best Short Story)
Everything the Top 10 receive, plus…
Each of the competition winners will be invited to an exclusive yearly virtual event where they will get the chance to meet with and pitch industry professionals from management companies, agencies and production companies in a 1:1 setting. Past participants included MGM, Scott Free, Verve, Bellevue, Lit Entertainment, WME, and more.
Top 10
Everything the Top 50 receive, plus…
Showcased individually with a specifically curated list of agents, managers, executives, and producers to fit your unique writing brand and overall career goals.
Your work will be read, reviewed and voted on by each of our esteemed Judges.
One free entry to any future Launch Pad Competition of your choosing.
Top 50
Everything the Top 100 receive, plus…
One year free membership to the Tracking Board.
Top 100
Your project and writer profile will be shared and marketed to our extensive industry networks.
Mentorship Program Selections | 3 Winners Selected
A Minimum of 3 writers (1 per mentor) will be selected by our mentors to enter our Launch Pad Prose Mentorship Program.
To qualify for this prize, entrants must have selected the “Mentorship Program” add-on when submitting their project.
This prize, as with all add-on prizes is not decided upon by placement in the competition. Regardless of whether the project entered makes any finalist round, your project will still be in contention for this prize until the competition ends.
Announcements
Rules
At the program's request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to this program.
- All entries MUST BE submitted in English as a PDF document with standard margin sizing.
- Initial reading will be limited to the fifty (twenty five if single spaced) page sample of each submission and a synopsis of up to 1,000 words.
- Full book manuscript submissions are not required, but are welcomed and may be considered in later rounds.
- Submissions with multiple writers are allowed. However, all entry fees must be paid under one account and all prizes will be shared among writing partners.
- All submissions must be the sole property of the writer(s). Any submissions of existing literary figures and or stories not in the public domain, as well as any intellectual property that the writer does not own, will be disqualified.
- All entries will be read blind, with no identifying information shared with readers. The writer name(s) and any other contact information should only appear on the title page and nowhere else in the submission.
- Work with a prior option is allowed, but at the time of submission and for the duration of the contest, the work must remain exclusively the writer’s property.
- Work that has been previously published is eligible so long as the writer retains further publication and adaptation rights.
- The only projects not allowed to be entered are those which have already sold, have previously earned our “LP Recommends” honors, or received a top 50 placement in a previous Launch Pad competition.
- Launch Pad uses Coverfly to manage our submissions and reads. Updated drafts accepted through the Coverfly website only.
- Launch Pad and all judges/readers will utilize whatever criteria they deem appropriate in deciding a winner.
- All submissions will remain the property of the writer(s) throughout the contest (at no point will anyone from the judging panel or Launch Pad ever attach themselves to your work without your consent).
- Entrants may be contacted as a result of the contest by Launch Pad, the judging panel or other industry professionals in regards to representation, production, sale and/or option of the entered work.
- Entrants are under no obligation to sell their work or otherwise attach themselves to representation in any form – this includes the guaranteed option and guaranteed signing add-ons.
- General prose entries will not receive feedback, however, you can opt to upgrade and receive feedback on your submission. Reminder: feedback will only be provided on the first 50 pages and synopsis of your project.
- The contest is open to entrants 18 or older. It is an international contest and open to entrants worldwide.
- Launch Pad reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to change or modify these terms at any time without notice.
- By entering this competition, you agree to receive periodic emails from Launch Pad and The Tracking Board. You may unsubscribe to these at any time.
- All entrants understand and agree to allow Launch Pad to post details on their project (title, writer name(s), logline, genre and competition details) as well as the writer (biography, picture) to their site, or sister site, to help promote the entrants’ work.
- By entering the competition, entrants are acknowledging their eligibility for the competition. The vast majority of entrants enter in good faith, and validating everyone at the entry stage would be inefficient and take away from efforts reading and finding the best projects. Therefore, we check eligibility at the Top 100 Finalist stage, which allows us to confirm eligibility prior to winner selection. If an issue comes to our attention earlier, we will address eligibility issues in earlier rounds on a case-by-case basis.
- All purchases and submissions are final. No refunds will be issued.
- VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
- Except where prohibited by law, participation in the contest constitutes each entrant’s consent to Launch Pad and its agents’ and contest sponsor’s use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. All uses of an entrants’ information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
- You agree to release and hold harmless Launch Pad, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, prize contributors, judges, readers, sponsors and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising or promoting the competition, and every one of their respective members, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) past and present from and against any and all claims, expenses and liability, including but not limited to damages and negligence to property and persons, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, copyright, infringement of trademark or other intellectual property rights relating to a participant’s entry, participation in the competition and/or acceptance or use or misuse of prize; provided however, that such release will not apply to any commercial exploitation of the script by a Released Party in violation of your rights under applicable copyright law; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless Launch Pad and its sponsors, agents and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) relating to an entrant’s participation in the competition and/or entrant’s use or misuse of Prize.
