Have a Book Idea? On New Reality Show, You Could Become America's Next Great Author

Penny De Los Santos America's Next Great Author creators David Henry Sterry, left, and Arielle Eckstut

There's long been reality shows for singers, dancers, entrepreneurs and bakers. Now aspiring writers can join the fray of this competitive TV genre.

America's Next Great Author, a new reality show with an American Idol-like twist, seeks applications through Sept. 15 for its pilot episode.

"All we really want is a great story," show co-creator David Henry Sterry tells PEOPLE.

Hosted by New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander, the initial show will be filmed in October, with contestants pitching their book idea to a panel of judges in front of a live audience.

Of the 100 semi-finalists who will be invited to participate, 20 finalists get to pitch their book as the cameras roll.

Filming will take place Oct. 30 in Newark, New Jersey — just "minutes from the capital of publishing," says co-creator Arielle Eckstut, referring to Manhattan.

Unlike some reality shows, there won't be any snide remarks, according to the creators. "We're kinder and gentler," says Sterry.

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"Nobody's going to ask you if you got your haircut in a Cuisinart or make fun of you, or ridicule you and mock you and tell you how horrible you are," he continues. "That's where we're different."

Portia Wiggins Author Kwame Alexander, who is hosting the pilot episode

The winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize, a "prominent role" in the pilot episode and be part of a second day of filming, which includes mentoring and coaching from industry insiders and the show's creators, Sterry and Eckstut say.

"We want to give people who usually don't get a seat at the table a chance to tell their stories," Sterry says.

The show's concept is based on Eckstut and Sterry's Pitchapalooza, a book-pitching contest they've held at literary festivals across the country for about a decade.

Once the pilot is filmed, the show creators hope a network picks up the show and films a first season, during which contestants in six cities across the country would pitch their book concept in a minute.

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Then, six finalists, all in a house together, would write a first draft of their novel in 30 days while receiving challenges and advice from well-known authors and other publishing professionals. The winner would be crowned — you guessed it! — "America's Next Great Author." And hopefully they'll get a book contract.

"This is a show to elevate and celebrate writers," says Eckstut. "We aren't here to make people feel bad or to tell them that aren't a good writer."

"We want a show that has the feeling of something more like the Great British Baking Show," she continues, "where people are really given a chance to shine."