The Future Bookshelf 2019 will open for submissions on 24 May

The Hachette initiative to find new voices invites fiction and non-fiction from underrepresented backgrounds

The Future Bookshelf initiative was set up in 2016 by Hachette’s Changing the Story diversity scheme to widen publishing opportunities and discover unpublished authors from underrepresented backgrounds, including LGBTQ and BAME writers, socio-economically disadvantaged writers and writers who have a disability. Last year three authors discovered through the Future Bookshelf scheme were offered publishing contracts with Hachette divisions Hodder & Stoughton and John Murray. This year the scheme has expanded to include Little, Brown and Orion.

‘It’s incredibly inspiring to see the impact that The Future Bookshelf has already made; through our year-round online activity, and by our acquiring of the Class of 2018 through open submissions,’ said John Murray Press marketing manager Emma Petfield, who was one of the founding members of the scheme. ‘We cannot wait to see this continue as we open again for 2019.'

The open submission window will run between 24 May and 2 June. The Future Bookshelf is inviting submissions from new voices: unpublished and unagented writers from backgrounds not adequately represented in publishing. Submissions may be fiction or non-fiction (at least 50,000 words long) for adult or YA readers. Books may be incomplete or need editing. If you’re submitting a book that has been previously self published, include this information and say where.

If submitting fiction, send a 3,000-word sample and a two-page synopsis. Non-fiction submissions should consist of a two-page outline and a 3,000 sample.

The submissions window will open on 24 May and close on 2 June.

For full details see the website

For all the latest publishing news, subscribe to Writing Magazine or download our app

Register and sign up for our newsletter for late-breaking news, more competitions and exclusive content