In my role as editor at Allen & Unwin, I had the pleasure of being the project manager for the last three editions of the Faber Writing Academy’s annual Anthology. Reading the vast range of submissions, from literary and commercial fiction to fantasy and speculative fiction, and from memoir to more experimental pieces, gave me an incredible appreciation for the budding talent the Faber Writing Academy program nurtures. The time and effort that students put into crafting the best two thousand words to platform their work is always obvious, and every year there were submissions that left me wanting more at the end of the extract – which is exactly the point of the Anthology.
The Anthology is a unique opportunity for writers to get their work onto the desks of publishers, editors and agents. I’m now a commissioning editor, and am looking forward to reading the 2021 Anthology to scope out potential authors. My insider knowledge of the Faber program, and the way tutors work so closely with students to develop their writing, means I know the extract in the Anthology is simply a taste-test of a work that has been crafted and honed with great care.
Tessa Feggans