Name |
Deadline |
Entry Fee |
First Prize |
Eligibility (writer) |
Eligibility (submission) |
Genre |
Exeter Novel Prize |
1st Jan |
£18 |
£500 plus trophy |
Authors currently without representation, whether or not they have been published. |
The competition is for the first ten thousand words (including synopsis) of a novel. |
All genres excluding children’s, but including Young Adult and New Adult, are acceptable. |
Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize |
17th January |
£12 |
A networking dinner plus editorial consultation |
Women over 21 resident in the UK, who have not had a full length novel previously published. |
Unpublished, and must not have been accepted for future publication or self-published. |
All genres except picture books |
First Pages Prize |
7th Feb (extended deadline 21st Feb) |
$20/$35 |
$2,000, agent consultation and developmental editing |
Any writer worldwide over 18 years of age who is currently un-agented
|
First 5 pages (1,250 words max) of a longer fiction or creative non-fiction manuscript
|
All genres |
Northern Writers Awards |
6th Feb |
FREE |
Various |
Writer must be based in Northern England at the time of submission. |
Various |
Various |
David Higham Open Day for Under Represented Writers |
24th Feb |
Free |
Attendance at an Open Day meeting industry experts and receiving tailored feedback. |
Any un-agented writer living in the UK from an under-represented background (see website for details). |
None |
Any |
Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award |
28th February 2020 |
£36 |
Shortlisted entries are presented to publishers and agents |
Unpublished and unagented writers |
The opening of a proposed crime novel (up to 3,000 words) and a synopsis (up to 1,500 words) outlining its further development. |
Crime |
Kelpies Prize |
29th Feb |
N/A |
Win £1,000 plus mentoring and publication, and a week-long writing retreat. |
You must live or work in Scotland |
The book must be set mainly in Scotland |
Children's |
The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
|
1st March |
TBC |
£15,000 advance and publication |
Unpublished and unagented writers (self pub okay) |
Adventure writing only |
Adventure |
Claymore Award |
1st April |
$40 |
Possible publication and agent representation. Networking opportunities (in the US) |
No limitations |
Unpublished novels containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense. Self-published manuscripts are not eligible. |
Action, Adventure, Alternate History, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Thriller, Western. |
Adventure Writer's Competition |
30th April |
$25 |
$1000 |
No limitations |
Novels in the genre 'Adventure' only |
Adventure |
Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition |
4th May |
£18 |
Royalty advance of £10,000, publishing contract and agent representation |
Unpublished and unagented writers over 18 |
A full-length novel for children/young adults aged between 7 and 18 years. |
Children's |
First Novel Prize |
31st May |
£25 |
£1,000 |
Unpublished writers |
English, unpublished or self-published |
Adult fiction genres only (no children or young adult) |
Bridport Prize Novel Award |
31st May |
£20 |
£1000 plus mentoring |
Writers in Britain and the Republic of Ireland |
Full or part-written novel |
Any adult fiction genre including fiction for young adults (YA) providing there is a genuine crossover for adult readership. Non-fiction and fiction for children is not eligible. |
Impress Prize for New Writers |
Awaiting announcement of 2021 submission date. |
£25 |
£500 advance plus publication by Impress Books |
16 years of age and over |
A book proposal and a sample chapter of no more than 6,000 words |
Fiction and non-fiction across most genres (excluding poetry and children’s fiction, however we will consider Young Adult submissions) |
Page Turner Awards
|
31st May |
£30 (£20) |
Various |
Over 18 |
Unpublished, complete fiction or non-fiction |
Any |
Bath Novel Award |
31st May |
£28 |
£3,000 |
Writers should be yet to accept a traditional publishing deal. |
Novels may be unpublished, self-published or independently published. At least least 50,000 words in length. |
Any genre for adults or young adult (13+) |
The Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award |
31st May |
£20 |
£1,000 and agent introduction |
Unpublished authors without an agent |
First chapter of your novel up to 5000 words along with a 300 word synopsis and cover letter |
Any adult fiction genre |
North Street Book Prize |
15th June |
$65 |
$5,000 plus perks |
Self- published authors |
200,000 words maximum. |
For self-published books |
Staunch Book Prize |
31st July |
FREE or £65 with feedback report |
International publicity |
No limitations |
Completed novel - can be traditionally published, self-published or unpublished. |
A a thriller in which no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered |
Kindle Storyteller
|
31st August |
Free |
£20,000 |
Over 18s |
You must publish your book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon |
Any genre |
Book Pipeline Adaptation Contest |
August 31st (early deadline May 20th) |
$55 - $70 |
$10,000 + Film/TV Industry adaptation consideration /circulation |
Self-published authors (and trad published authors) |
Published (including self-pub) books, graphic novels, short stories (trad published / produced plays also accepted) |
Any genre |
The Query Letter |
15th September |
Free |
$500 |
No restrictions |
100 words blurb. The novel does NOT need to be written. |
Any genre |
Mslexia Children's and YA Novel Competition |
21st September |
£25 |
£5,000 |
Unpublished women writers of any nationality from any country. |
All entries must be in English, not previously published and not under consideration in other fiction competitions. |
Childrens and Young Adult |
Grindstone Literary International Novel Prize
|
28th September |
£16 |
£1,000 |
No limitations |
Previously unpublished completed manuscripts exceeding 50,000 words in total length. |
All genres, but not middle grade or younger. |
The First Page Challenge (The Darling Axe) |
30th September |
$5 CAD |
$200 |
No limitations
|
First page of a novel
|
Any genre |
Pitchwars |
4th June / 1st October |
Free |
Mentoring for your novel submission |
Unagented anywhere in the world |
Unpublished, including self-publishing |
Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, or Adult |
Book Pipeline Unpublished Competition |
5th October (Early deadline June 1st) |
$45 - $60 |
$2,500 for each of six winners and industry circulation |
Any writer worldwide over 18 years of age
|
Unpublished, full-length manuscripts of fiction and nonfiction
|
Young Adult, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Mystery / Thriller, Literary, Outsider / Experimental, and Nonfiction |
Flash 500 Novel Opening Chapter & Synopsis Competition |
31st October |
£10 |
£500 |
No limitations |
The only stipulation is that the entry must be unpublished. |
Any genre |
Cinnamon Press Annual Debut Fiction Prize |
31st October |
£16 |
Book published by Cinnamon Press |
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.) |
Unpublished |
Adult and crossover novels only (no children's fiction) |
The Caledonia Novel Award |
1st November |
£25 |
£1,500 |
Open to unpublished and self-published novelists over 18 |
Original work at least 50,000 words |
Any genre for adults or young adults |
William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition |
1st November |
$45 |
$7,500 |
No limitations |
An original novel, previously unpublished |
Adults or Young Adults |
QuoScript NaNoWritMo Challenge |
16th November 2021 (for registration) |
£30 |
Publication Contract (all entrants receive a critique) |
Writers in UK and USA |
10,000 words plus synopsis |
Crime Fiction and Young Adult Fiction |
Bath Children's Novel |
29th November |
£25 |
£2,500 |
Unpublished and independently published novelists |
Novel written for children aged 7 to 17. |
Children's |
Betty Trask Prize |
30th November |
Free (as far as we can tell) |
£10,000 |
Under 35. British National or resident (see comp page for more details) |
First novels (published in the last year, or unpublished (see comp for more details) |
Traditional or romantic but not experimental style |
Daisy Pettles Writing Contest for Women |
12th December |
$0-25-45 (sliding income waivers) |
$1,000 plus a month-long free residency in the Daisy Pettles' Writer's House |
Women writers, aged 40+, published OR unpublished |
20 pages of sample writing |
Fiction or non-fiction. Not poetry. |