ALICE CORRIE AWARD
a picture book writing award
The Alice Corrie Award honours the work of a much-missed editor, colleague and friend.
As an editor, Alice was kind and wise and endlessly enthusiastic. She was also utterly fabulous, much like her own picture book character, Fifi the Flamenco Flamingo. In recognition of Alice’s all round brilliance, Orange Beak are proud to announce an award in her name offering unpublished authors the chance to shine and to have the opportunity to be assessed and advised by an industry professional.
Alongside her career in children’s publishing, Alice was a cherished Orange Beak team member and the feedback she gave to many clients on their stories was invaluable. It is Orange Beak’s privilege to recognise Alice’s work as an amazingly talented editor and champion of picture book making, especially with new and aspiring picture book authors, by inviting applicants for this award, to ‘follow your dreams and be fabulous.’
ABOUT ALICE
Alice worked for many years as an editor at Random House (now Penguin Random House) and as a freelance editor and project manager.
Alice worked on many, many books including:
Owl or Pussycat by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Kerry Hyndman
The Adventures of John Blake by Philip Pullman, illustrated by Fred Fordham
This Book Has Alpacas by Emma Perry, illustrated by Rikin Parekh
Charlie Stinky Socks series by Kristina Stephenson
The Marys Series by Gwynedd Rae, illustrated by Clara Vulliamy
The New Neighbours by Sarah McIntyre
Thornhill by Pam Smy
I Don't Like Books. Never. Ever. The End. by Emma Perry, illustrated by Sharon Davey
No! Said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs
Ready! Said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs
Alice’s vibrant intelligence and dedication to children’s books was matched by her empathetic approach to authors as expressed by Michael Morpurgo: Said Michael Morpurgo of Alice: ‘She has, in my view, a unique insight, knowledge and understanding of how to make a story into a great book, a sensitive editor, a keen eye for detail, with a real feel for illustration and design. She’s a person I very soon realised I could rely on.’
It is Orange Beak’s wish to continue to advocate for new authors in Alice’s name.
Prizes - £200 each for the two winners, kindly donated by Alice's family,
and matched by an anonymous donor
The opportunity to meet with an industry professional online and discuss your work
The entry fee for this competition is £10, and proceeds will be donated to Child Bereavement UK
KEY DATES
The competition runs from November 6th 2024 until 5.00pm on March 3rd 2025 (UK Time Zone).
The winners will be announced on May 28th 2025.
JUDGES
The award will be judged by the Orange Beak team and the special editorial judges of: Sarah Pakenham, Publisher, Scallywag Press and Helen Mackenzie Smith, Picture Books Publisher, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books.
KEY ENTRY INFORMATION
This award invites you to submit a picture book manuscript.
Your manuscript must be one picture book text only, of 1000 words or less. Please title your story and include your name.
Your manuscript must be paginated/divided into a 32 page picture book.
Alongside the manuscript, please enclose a short bio (100 words max)
The manuscript and bio must be saved as one pdf file.
To enter your manuscript, you must pay for a ticket, via Eventbrite and then submit your manuscript by 3rd March 2025.
Entry is £10 and a portion of the profits will go towards Child Bereavement UK
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
Please title the pdf as: yourname_AliceCorrieAward25
Your manuscript must be of emailable size (maximum 2MB per pdf) and the resolution
must be clear enough to read.
Please email your submission to alicecorrieaward@orangebeakstudio.com
By submitting your work, you are confirming that this is your own original work and that you are the copyright owner. Entries that do not meet the entry requirements may be disqualified. The judges decision is final.
Please read the eligibility and frequently asked questions below, and ensure you understand them before entering this award.
ELIGIBILITY
The Alice Corrie Award is open to anyone over the age of 18yrs. Employees of Orange Beak and their family members may not enter.
Entries are limited to one person (1 pdf per person).
The award is open to authors who haven’t either been published or contracted in the last 5 years.
We welcome international entries.
You don’t have to be a professional writer to enter.
You can be an illustrator, who writes, and enter a manuscript.
Your manuscript should be considered for the picture book market and a children’s audience.
FAQs
What happens if I win?
If you win, you will be contacted via the email you submit with. We will celebrate you on our Orange Beak Studio Instagram. Each winner will also receive £200 and we will then facilitate the opportunity to meet with a publisher online.
Does the work I enter need to be new work?
The work you enter does not need to be new work, however, it must not be previously published in print or awarded in another competition.
How do I know that you have received my submission?
You will receive an email saying that your submission has been received. The email will be monitored on a part time basis, and so please allow time for a response.
If I miss the deadline can I still be considered?
If you miss the deadline, you will not be considered for the award.
Can I enter a non fiction manuscript?
You cannot enter a non fiction manuscript - this award is for narrative fiction picture book manuscripts only.
For any enquiries email info@orangebeakstudio.com