Novel writing competitions 2018

2018 Novel Competitions

We have gathered a list of the best Novel Writing Competitions with deadlines in 2018.

They are ordered by deadline, and we will aim to update this post regularly, to add new competitions as we discover them.

Many of the novel writing competitions are very prestigious, and highly likely to lead to agent representation and or / publication.

Entry fees vary from £10 to £20, and 1st prizes average about £1000. There are some exceptional ones, with cash prizes of £20,000.

Most are open to entrants worldwide, but some have slightly more limited eligibility criteria, such as being only open to UK residents, or women.

If you have a novel writing competition that you would like added to this list, please get in touch.

Name Deadline Entry Fee 1st Prize Eligibility Comments
First Novel Prize 2018  31st May 2018 £25 £1000 A literary contest open to previously unpublished and independently published novelists Adults genres only
The Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award for a First Novel 31st May 2018 £20 £1000 plus mentoring Please note: the novel award is currently only open to writers in Britain and the Republic of Ireland Associated with the prestigious Bridport Prize
HASTINGS Litfest Crooked Cat Books Crime Novel Competition 31st May 2018 £10 £150 plus publication by Crooked Cat Books The competition is for completed crime novels of up to 90,000 words by previously unpublished authors, or by authors previously published only in other genres. Novels in other genres will not be accepted into the competition. Calling all budding crime novelists! We are looking for your stories: everything from cosy crime to dark, deadly and sinister – if it grips us and makes us want to read more then this is the competition for you.
2018 Book Pipeline Competition 20th June 2018 $50 $10,000 and circulation to leading production companies International. Aimed at material for film and television adaptation
Commonword Diversity Young Adult Fiction Prize 29th June 2018 £10 £1000, professional mentoring, Arvon Course All entrants must be over the age of 16 and a permanent resident in the United Kingdom. Writing or writers must embrace ethnic diversity either through their own ethnicity and culture and/or in their writing.
The Bluepencilagency First Novel Award 30th June 2018 “20 £1,000 and agent introduction Unrepresented and Unpublished authors
Adventure Writer’s Competition 1st July 2018 $25 $1000 International Novels in the genre ‘Adventure’ only
Cinnamon Press Annual Debut Fiction Prize 31st July 2018 £12 1 Year’s free mentoring worth £1,000 Open to those who have not had a novel or full-length short story collection previously published through a press. (Those who have self-published novels or collections may enter.) Adult and crossover novels only (no children’s fiction).
Kindle Storyteller 2018 31st August 2018 No charge £20000 Over 18s You must publish your book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon
Mslexia: Women’s Fiction Awards 2018: Children’s Novel Competition 1st October 2018 £25 £5000 The competition is open to women of any nationality from any country For completed, unpublished novels for children or YA readers, of at least 15,000 words in length (not including the title).
Flash 500 Novel Opening Chapter & Synopsis Competition 31st October 2018 £10 £500 The only stipulation is that the entry must be unpublished.
The Caledonia Novel Award 1st November 2018 £25 £1000 Open to unpublished and self-published novelists
Bath Children’s Novel 2nd December 2018   £25   £2,500  For unpublished and self-published novelists. Novel written for children aged 7 to 17.
The 2018 Exeter Novel Prize 1st January 2019 £18 £500 plus trophy Authors currently without representation Open to anyone in the world who does not have representation