New Stories By Talented Writers Awarded 2022 NZSA Assessments

The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc announce the writers who will receive manuscript guidance through this year's CompleteMS programme.

Compelling manuscripts crafted by thirteen talented writers, have been chosen to take part in this year's programme. Writers spend months polishing their stories for entry into this competitive and successful programme (open to NZSA members). Now each of the thirteen successful writers will receive a detailed assessment of their manuscript from one of Aotearoa/New Zealand's leading writers and approved assessors, followed by a Q+A session where they receive follow-up support.

Our congratulations to the NZSA CompleteMS 2022 recipients: Kit Willett, Laura Vincent, Barbara Ūini, Keryn Powell, Angela Pope, Tania Joy Norfolk, Margot McLean, Andrea Malcolm, Lauren Keenan, Janet Holst, Shriya Bhagwat, Sarah M Bailey, Amanda Aitken.

Pictures and profiles of CompleteMS recipients of 2022

These writers have crafted manuscripts that cross a range of writing areas: memoir, poetry, short story, middle grade and young adult fiction; and adult fiction covering crime, fantasy, contemporary, psychological, family drama, and coming-of-age.

84 entries were received for this year's CompleteMS assessment programme. Always fiercely contested, this programme continues to receive a high number of submissions. The selection panel of Paddy Richardson, Rosetta Allan, and Melinda Szymanik had their work cut out for them.

The selection panel commented: 'The diversity of subject and the liveliness and originality of writing represented in the applications not only reinforces Aotearoa/New Zealand writing as growing in scope and depth, but also made it a very difficult task to limit our choices to 13. We feel honoured to have had this glimpse at the creativity encapsulated within these manuscripts, congratulate those on the shortlist and wish the winners a wonderful and inspiring experience with the assessment process.'

Many past recipients have produced final manuscripts under this programme and achieved both publication and acclaim.

CompleteMS Manuscript Assessments are offered by The NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (Pen NZ) Inc every year with the intent of fostering and developing emerging talent with the support of established practitioners. The NZSA has run highly successful manuscript assessment and mentoring programmes for writers since 1999 and our programmes are supported by funding from Creative New Zealand.

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