"New Writing Ventures, the awards that offer creative support and prepare writers for publication, is open for entries for 2007 on Thursday 19 April. Offering £3,000 to each winner in the categories of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction, as well as a year-long creative mentoring programme with The Literary Consultancy, and £1,000 to the runners up, New Writing Ventures has a proven track record of achieving results.

"Through a programme of mentoring and a high-profile awards ceremony in London, this is the only prize which brings publishers and agents direct to the writers’ doors. As part of the prize package, New Writing Ventures will introduce winning and shortlisted writers to the movers and shakers of the publishing world through its exclusive networking event. Writers will also have their work sent out to personally selected contacts, assisting in the tricky process of looking for a deal. "

The 2007 awards are open for entry from 19 April. Closing date is Thursday 31 May 2007.

Fiction: novelist, Louise Doughty; novelist and teacher, Ardashir Vakil; and Literary Editor of the Daily Mirror, Henry Sutton.

Poetry: poet and teacher, Mimi Khalvati; poet and author, Owen Sheers; writer and Literary Editor of The Times, Erica Wagner.

Creative Non-Fiction: writer and journalist, Giles Foden; journalist, birder and author, Mark Cocker; and Vesna Goldsworthy, writer and lecturer in English at University College London.