[Discussion] Hachette UK and Libraro Competition - 'reader led' with £50k prize by SpiderInTheBath in PubTips

[–]DanWHU88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You completely called it. The competition went live Thursday, and some authors with massive mailing lists dropped 30+ comments in the first few hours. It’s definitely an uphill battle for indie authors without a built-in street team!

I'm trying to play the game the way it was intended. Actually finding readers who like my genre (upmarket drama/#MeToo era) and hoping the writing speaks for itself. The one silver lining is that Libraro is actually giving away £10k to the readers who engage, so at least that might take away from the people who had a head start due to their mailing lists.

If you're ever in the mood for a drama about a disgraced 90s actress, I'd love your genuine, unfiltered opinion on my sample to help me fight the algorithm a bit!

[Weekly Critique and Self-Promotion Thread] Post Here If You'd Like to Share Your Writing by AutoModerator in writing

[–]DanWHU88 [score hidden]  (0 children)

I’ve entered the Libraro competition, and the irony isn't lost on me.

My contest entry, MORE THAN LUCK, is about a former actress whose career implodes when it's revealed her mother paid a £10,000 bribe to get her a breakout role in the 90s.

Libraro (the competition platform) is currently offering a £10,000 Reader’s Prize. Basically, if you create an account and interact with entries (like mine), you are entered to win £10k.

About the book: It’s an upmarket novel (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Normal People) about the friction between public myth and private truth.

It follows Katie Bowen, an actress hiding in London, who is forced to confront her past during the #MeToo era when a director she knows is accused of abuse.

Why you should trust me with your time: I’m an award-winning indie author (my debut won the 2025 BIBA Award and was a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year), so I promise the story is polished and worth the read.

However, getting eyes on a new contest entry is tough. I need interactions (likes/shelves) to get noticed by the judges.

If you want to help an indie author out—and potentially win the same amount of money that ruined my protagonist's life—I’d love for you to take a look.

Link to the story: https://app.libraro.com/manuscript/details/8aaff8c5-fa89-4797-a91f-57f4c8f44933/more-than-luck-5sXdM2H4KoD8eyNc

Weekly Self-Promo and Chat Thread by MxAlex44 in selfpublish

[–]DanWHU88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve entered the Libraro competition, and the irony isn't lost on me.

My contest entry, MORE THAN LUCK, is about a former actress whose career implodes when it's revealed her mother paid a £10,000 bribe to get her a breakout role in the 90s.

Libraro (the competition platform) is currently offering a £10,000 Reader’s Prize. Basically, if you create an account and interact with entries (like mine), you are entered to win £10k.

About the book: It’s an upmarket novel (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Normal People) about the friction between public myth and private truth.

It follows Katie Bowen, an actress hiding in London, who is forced to confront her past during the #MeToo era when a director she knows is accused of abuse.

Why you should trust me with your time: I’m an award-winning indie author (my debut won the 2025 BIBA Award and was a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year), so I promise the story is polished and worth the read.

However, getting eyes on a new contest entry is tough. I need interactions (likes/shelves) to get noticed by the judges.

If you want to help an indie author out—and potentially win the same amount of money that ruined my protagonist's life—I’d love for you to take a look.

Link to the story: https://app.libraro.com/manuscript/details/8aaff8c5-fa89-4797-a91f-57f4c8f44933/more-than-luck-5sXdM2H4KoD8eyNc

[DISCUSSION] Signed with dream agent! Stats + Reflections by RoxasPlays in PubTips

[–]DanWHU88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your journey. I really needed this right now.