A New Zealand book publisher is kicking off the launch of their academy with an international writing competition.

Writers can participate free of charge by clicking here

Dunedin-based Exisle Publishing has launched an international Children’s Publishing Academy aimed at supporting budding children’s book authors.

The Children’s Publishing Academy provides a forum where authors can have the opportunity to learn from a leading children’s publishing professional as well as from other published authors.

"Breaking through as a children's author is incredibly difficult," says Exisle Publishing’s founder and CEO Gareth St John Thomas.

"Many talented and passionate writers miss out simply because the barriers to entry are so high. We started the academy to change that.

"At the Academy, writers are invited to exercise their creativity to come up with a compelling pitch that makes publishers pay attention."

Exisle Publishing previously launched the Exisle Academy, a community which provides online instruction to writers who want to get published and offers both free and paid assessments.

"With Exisle Academy, our goal was to train the next generation of authors, enabling them to navigate the confusing and challenging world of writing and publishing, and share their message with the world," says Gareth.

"We have published some of our students’ work, but we are also pleased when they are published elsewhere.

"We are focused on making sure their voices can be and are heard and the Children’s Publishing Academy has been launched to focus specifically on children's authors."

For Exisle's international writing competition, children’s book authors worldwide are invited to pitch their story with the chance of winning development opportunities through the Academy, as well as their choice of three books from the EK Books catalogue.

Successful pitches will be published by Exisle Publishing under the EK Books imprint.

"We have found lots of great talent through the Exisle Academy. Now, we are excited to be launching an academy specifically targeted at children’s authors."

One success story from the Publishing Academy is Harriet's Hungry Worms by Samantha Smith.

"Samantha Smith partnered with our team to develop her book, Harriet's Hungry Worms," says Gareth.

She took advice across the entire publication process, from editing the story to partnering with illustrators. The result was a publishing contract with EK Books.

"Her book is now in bookstores and libraries worldwide and has been featured by media including the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and The Sunday Telegraph."

Judged by Exisle’s Gareth St John Thomas and children’s book author Dimity Powell, submissions are open until June 30, 2024, and winners will be announced in August.

Writers can participate free of charge by clicking here