The Black List, renowned for its annual survey of unproduced screenplays, is expanding its focus to include novel manuscripts, aiming to bridge the gap between early-career writers and the publishing industry. This new initiative allows authors to create profiles, host manuscripts, and receive professional feedback, with the introduction of the Unpublished Novel Award offering $10,000 grants across multiple genres. Franklin Leonard, the founder, emphasized this move addresses a significant market failure where talented writers lack access to quality feedback. Randy Winston, formerly of the Center for Fiction, will lead the expansion into fiction, which is seen as a natural progression for the platform. Partnerships with film production companies, including Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films, will help option exceptional manuscripts for adaptation. The initiative marks a significant evolution for The Black List, which has already seen over 400 scripts from its annual survey produced into films.