Your Novel: How to Get Started

Get inspired to start preparing your submission to Discoveries 2026. Learn how to write a great opening that will inspire your readers to keep turning the page and uncover what the judges are looking for from submissions. Join our free Your Novel: How to Get Started webinar on Thursday 30 October 2025, 7.00pm to 8.30pm (UK time). The webinar will be open to 500 people to watch live and will be available to watch on the CBC YouTube channel after the event. Event attendees will also have the chance to submit a question to the expert panel ahead of time. Registration for this event is now open. Click the button below to sign up.

Speakers

This event will be chaired by Abby Parsons, Senior Courses Manager at CBC. The panel includes Discoveries 2026 judge Dorothy Koomson, bestselling author Laura Barnett, Curtis Brown agent Jess Molloy, and her client Rosie Rowell (winner of Discoveries 2025).

Laura BarnettRead bio →

Dorothy KoomsonRead bio →

Jess Molloy, Curtis Brown literary agent

Jess MolloyRead bio →

Abby ParsonsRead bio →

Rosie Rowell, winner of Discoveries 2025

Rosie RowellRead bio →

About Discoveries 2026

Discoveries is a unique writing development initiative, which invites all unpublished women writers aged 18 and up, currently residing in the UK or Ireland and writing in English, to submit their works of adult fiction to the Discoveries Prize.

The prize doesn’t require writers to have finished a novel – only to have started one – and it is free to enter. We're looking for writing that shows real potential, not necessarily polished drafts.

The programme includes free online and events that will run throughout the submissions window to inspire women to start writing a novel – this includes our free Your Novel: How to Get Started webinar.

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Your Novel: How to Get Started

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About Discoveries 2026

Your Novel: How to Get Started