Breaking into the publishing world can be challenging. Connecting with the right agents, editors, and publishers is critical, and it can be downright dizzying to figure out who's right for your work and how to connect with them.
Roadmap x Aevitas Authors is thrilled to announce our inaugural competition: The Next Chapter Prize!
Roadmap has helped screenwriters and television writers sign with agents and managers. Now, Roadmap x Aevitas will be helping book authors learn how to get signed by literary agents and connect with editors and publishers.
Aevitas has represented the writers of more than 120 New York Times bestsellers. Books by its clients appear regularly on major bestseller lists in the U.S. and around the world and have won major awards and fellowships such as the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, MacArthur Fellowship, PEN/Faulkner, Guggenheim Fellowship, National Book Critics Circle Award, Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Nobel Peace Prize, as well as the Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and Academy Awards.
Dates & Deadlines:
Early Deadline: July 31, 2026 @ 11:59pm PT
Regular Deadline: August 31, 2026 @ 11:59pm PT
Late Deadline: September 30, 2026 @ 11:59pm PT
YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR MATERIALS WITHIN 72 HOURS OF REGISTRATION. *Entries received after this deadline will be disqualified.*
Application Fee: $35
Semifinalists Announced: November 18 , 2026
Finalists Announced: January 31, 2027
Winners Announced: February 16, 2027
Submit The Following:
Your Completed Manuscript
Enter one of the four categories and submit your completed manuscript (90,000 words max).
The categories are:
- General Fiction
- Mystery/Thriller
- Science Fiction / Fantasy
- Memoir
One Page Synopsis
Submit a One Page Synopsis (500 words max) that summarizes your story from beginning to end.
Judging:
Submissions must be the full manuscript, but only the first 25 pages of the manuscript will be reviewed prior to the Quarterfinals. Judges for the Quarterfinals and above will review as many pages as necessary to make their decision.
Finalist Judges:
- Caroline Marsiglia - Memoir
- Mary Moore - Science Fiction/Fantasy
- Chris Bucci - Mystery/Thriller
- Lauren Liebow - General Fiction
Prizes:
- Grand Prize Winner per category - 1 Virtual 30 Minute Meeting with the judge in your category & 6 Free Classes in Roadmap x Aevitas Authors Program
- Top 10 - Featured on Roadmap Writers' Website & 3 Free Classes in Roadmap x Aevitas Authors Program
- Top 25 - Featured on Roadmap Writers' Website
About Roadmap x Aevitas
Founded in 2016 by Joey Tuccio and Dorian Connelley, Roadmap Writers is an L.A.-based screenwriting education and training platform that is dedicated to writers seeking a guided path to professional success in film and TV. Led by working executives, managers, agents, producers, writers, and other industry professionals, our classes take place exclusively online and are designed to empower writers to elevate their craft while expanding their network. Roadmap has helped over 500 writers sign with representation to date, while guiding others directly toward work in the industry. Through our programs, writers have been signed to the likes of Kaplan/Perrone, Echo Lake, Good Fear, Anonymous Content, 3 Arts, Artists First, Industry Entertainment, Fourth Wall Management, and CAA, with some going on to staff on shows like GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES (Paramount+), REACHER (Amazon), FUBAR (Netflix), THE FLASH (CW), WE WERE LIARS (Amazon), and THE RESIDENT (Fox).
Aevitas Creative Management, founded in 2016, is a full-service literary agency. Since then, it has grown to become home to more than 50 agents in New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Detroit, Nashville, Atlanta, London, Paris, Barcelona, and Bengaluru, representing scores of award-winning authors, performers, thinkers, artists, and public figures, including journalists, novelists, performers, public intellectuals, artists, politicians, chefs, and public figures. Aevitas agents pride themselves on their expertise helping their author clients achieve the highest quality proposals and manuscripts. Many Aevitas agents came to agenting after years of work as book editors, publishers, magazine editors, or published authors themselves.
Books written by Aevitas clients have won major awards and fellowships such as the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, MacArthur Fellowship, PEN/Faulkner, Guggenheim Fellowship, National Book Critics Circle Award, Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Nobel Peace Prize, as well as the Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and Academy Awards.