The WestWords Accelerator

 

 The WestWords Accelerator is a brand new WestWords program, launching in 2024, with the proud support of City of Parramatta Council. 

The WestWords Accelerator aims to support three writers at the critical juncture of their development; the final draft before publication.

If you live and/or work in the Parramatta City LGA, have a fully completed manuscript (fiction or non-fiction), and are seeking mentorship and guidance to structure and shape that major work to the point of submission to agents and publishers: this is the program for you.

WestWords is here to accelerate your manuscript towards publication.

Three applicants will be selected for the WestWords Accelerator
Successful applicants will:

  • Receive 8 months of tailored mentorship from established authors/editors chosen by WestWords to match the requirements of the manuscript and the writer

 

  • Receive practical pathway assistance to trade publication

 

  • Become a WestWords Writer-In-Residence in Parramatta, with access to the WestWords Centre for Writing quiet writing spaces

  • Join the Accelerator collective, with peer-to-peer support and manuscript feedback, with the guidance of WestWords

 

  • Receive promotion of work and author profile through WestWords online and live readings and podcast interviews

 

  • Receive writing workshop and facilitator employment opportunities

 

  • Receive membership into the WestWords Academy

Applicants must:

 

  • Be 18+ years in age
  • Have a completed draft of a manuscript that is between 65k-90k words
  • The manuscript must be a work of fiction or non-fiction for an adult audience (poetry manuscripts, children’s and YA are excluded). All genres welcome
  • Have a connection to Parramatta City LGA (ie, have lived in for more than 2 years, have worked in the region for a substantial length of time within the past 5 years, or have been born and raised) Exemption may be given in the circumstances of recently arrived migrants/refugees
  • Be an Australian citizen, or persons holding permanent residence visas. Exemption may be given in the circumstances of recently arrived migrants/refugees
  • Not have the manuscript under consideration at another trade publisher 
  • Pay the $35 application administration fee 
  • If successful, applicants must be willing to, and able to (the best of their ability) make themselves available for WestWords Accelerator opportunities, public and online engagements, freelance employment, and meet reporting and manuscript feedback responsibilities, in order to have their manuscript publisher ready by completion of the program (December 2024) 

 

What to submit to the Accelerator portal:

 

  • Entire manuscript (65k-90k words) in a word or pdf format. 12pt font, new times roman, double spaced
  • 500 word author bio (third person) 
  • 600 word manuscript synopsis (including genre and word count)
  • 600 word project statement outlining the status of the project (what draft it is up to, how long it has been in development, why you are driven to work on this project, and how you plan to use the next 8 months of the Accelerator if successful)
  • 200 word statement outlining your connection to Parramatta City LGA, or your exemption status

 

Access the submission portal here

FAQs

 

  • This program seeks to replace our retired WestWords Fellowship program. This program is aimed to engage writers at their final steps of manuscript development
  • Successful applications will be assessed and judged on manuscript merit, at the discretion of the WestWords staff
  • While trade publication cannot be guaranteed, the WestWords Accelerator has been developed with real-world publication pathways in mind. Every step of the way, WestWords will work with the writer to access industry connections and opportunities for trade publication on completion of the 8-month mentorship
  • All creative, copy, and moral rights are retained by the writer throughout the submission and Accelerator process. Submissions of the full manuscript are received by a secure server, accessed only by WestWords staff
  • Time expectations of public and online engagements associated with the Accelerator are estimated to at 6 hours per month. (This is not including reading, feedback and writing time expectations). Applicants should be ready and able to offer dedicated time to their manuscript and the Accelerator upon acceptance, through till completion of the program (December 2024)

 

If you have any questions, please email admin@westwords.com.au

 

For 2024, applications will open March 1st.
Application close April 2nd (COB). 

 

 Enter by completing this online form