Uncategorized | March 01, 2005

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, just when you thought reality TV was done reinventing the wheel, just as you’re (gasp) getting bored with American Idol, perhaps there’s a solution…

LitIdol (read: Lit Idol), sponsored by the London Book Fair, offers budding and would-be professional writers the opportunity to submit their manuscripts to a panel of readers. The readers then narrow the field down to five finalists, who read their work live at a special Book Fair event. The opinions of the panel, (including Simon Cowell’s younger, yet equally opinionated brother), a live audience and an online vote determine the winner, who receives representation from a top literary agency. Last year’s winner sold his manuscript for a “high five figure sum” – but is this new twist a glimpse at the future of literary contests? And is it a future you want to be involved in?