W www.writersreign.co.uk
The WritersReign website is for all aspiring writers. It has a comprehensive pool of articles covering many interesting and exciting topics, as well as frequently updated writing and poetry competition listings. It also has an impressive array of links to other writers’ websites and a software page with details about some useful products you may not know about. WritersReign also offers a free article writing e-course.
WriteWords
PO Box 850, St Albans, AL1 9BE
E [email protected]
W www.writewords.org.uk
Range of email correspondence courses on different types of writing and publishing.
The Writing College
16 Magdalen Road, Exeter, EX2 4SY
T 01392499488
F 01392 498008
E [email protected]
W www.writingcollege.com
Offers a creative writing correspondence course.
Writing Holidays, Writers’ Seminars & Workshops
Felicity Fair Thompson, 39 Ranelagh Road,
Sandown, PO36 8NT
T 01983 407772
F 01983 407772
E [email protected]
W www.learnwriting.co.uk
Organizes writers’ retreats and conferences.
Written Words
5 Queen Elisabeth Close, London, N16 0HL
T 020 8809 4725
E [email protected]
W www.writtenwords.net
Intensive workshops for fiction writers. Also offers private tutorials for novels/short stories. Full manuscripts welcomed.
COMPETITIONS & PRIZES
Arthur C Clarke Award for Science Fiction
60 Bournemouth Road, Folkestone, Kent,
CT19 5AZ
T 01303252939
E [email protected]
W www.clarkeaward.com
Competition/Award Director Paul Billinger
Established 1986
Insider Info The Arthur C Clark Award for Science Fiction is presented for the best science-fiction novel of the year, as selected from a shortlist. The award is presented annually and the prize consists of a trophy and £2,010 (for the 2010 award and increasing by £1 annually). The winning book is picked by a jury panel. This competition is open to writers from any nationality, provided their book is in English and published in the UK.
Genres Science-Fiction
Submission Guidelines Titles must be previously published in the UK between 1 January and 31 December in the current year.
Tips Novellas (less than 30,000 words) and short story collections are not eligible for this award. Entries should be made by the book’s publishers.
Authors’Club First Novel Award
40 Dover Street, London, W1S 4NP
T 020 7499 8581
F 020 7409 0913
E [email protected] Competition/Award Director Stella Kane Established 1954
Insider Info The Authors’ Club award is presented to a promising work of fiction written by a British author and published in the UK. The award is presented annually, with prize money of £1,000.
Genres Novels
Submission Guidelines Submissions must be previously published full-length novels by first-time authors.
Tips Entries are usually nominated by publishers.
Betty Trask Awards
84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB
T 020 7373 6642
F 020 7373 5768
E Online form
W www.societyofauthors.org/betty-trask
Insider Info These awards are sponsored by the Society of Authors and presented for the best debut, due to be published, or unpublished novel by a writer under the age of 35. Novels should be romantic or traditional and the prize will not be awarded to experimental fiction. Several prizes may be presented in one year and prize money totals £25,000 and should be used for periods of foreign travel.
Genres Fiction, Novels
Submission Guidelines Submissions must be received by the end of January each year. Guidelines/entry forms are available on the website. Writers should be Commonwealth citizens and must not have had work published other than the novel submitted. Unpublished writers should submit a copy of the manuscript. Published writers should send a book, proof of manuscript via their publisher. Mark for the attention of Dorothy Sym.
Chapter One Promotions International Novel Competition
Canterbury Court, 1–3 Brixton Road,
London, SW9 6DE
T 0845 456 5364
F 0845 456 5347
E [email protected]
W www.chapteronepromotions.com
Insider Info This is an open competition for unpublished novels. Only the first two chapters and the closing chapter are required, and the novel need not have been finished. The competition is held every two years. The winner will receive support in completing their work, which will be published and available through the Book Cellar and Amazon.
Genres Novels
Submission Guidelines Submissions must be received by 28 February each year. There is a fee of £20 per novel. Titles should be previously unpublished.
Tips There is no word count and entries may be submitted by post or online. Entrants must declare if their work has been submitted to any other competitions, agents or publishers.
Cinnamon Press Novel Writing Award
Meirion House, Glan yr afon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniogg, Gwynedd, LL41 3SU
E [email protected]
W www.cinnamonpress.com
Insider Info An award aimed at allowing new writers their first full-length novel publication. Writers are invited to submit the first 10,000 words of their work. The award is offered twice yearly. The top five based on the samples will be invited to submit their full novel. The winner receives £400 and a contact for their novel of between 60,000 and 80,000 words to be published by Cinnamon Press. Open to any writer who has never had a full-length novel published.
Genres Novels
Submission Guidelines Submissions must be received between 30 June and 30 November each year. Guidelines are available on the website. The entry fee is £20 per novel. Novels must be previously unpublished.
Tips Novels do not necessarily need to be finished at the closing date but writers need to be able to provide the full work within two months of the closing date if they are shortlisted. Work should be double spaced on single-sided sheets. Handwritten entries will not be accepted.
Debut Dagger
Crime Writer’s Association Debut Dagger, PO Box 273, Boreham Wood, Herts, WD6 2XA
E Online entry form.
W www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/debut
Insider Info The Debut Dagger award is sponsored by the Crime Writers’ Association. It is an award designed to help launch the careers of unpublished crime writers and is presented annually. The prize consists of £700 and two tickets to the CWA Duncan Lawrie Dagger Awards, including a night’s stay for two in a hotel. All shortlisted entrants receive a selection of crime novels and professional critiques of their entries, and will also be invited to the awards dinner. The award is open to any writer who has not previously had a novel published. Previously published writers in non-crime fiction areas (including self-published writers) should email for advice on their individual eligibility.
Genres Crime Fiction
Submission Guidelines Submissions must be received between 1 November and 7 February each year. Guidelines for submissions are available on the website. Submit the first 3,000 words and a 500–1,000 word synopsis of the rest of the novel. Include a signed entry form, information for which is on the website. There is also the facility for online entry. There is a fee of £25 per story. The novel must be previously unpublished.
Tips Crime novels only, although ‘crime’ can be interpreted broadly. For a style guide and advice on writing crime novels, visit the website. Winning the Debut Dagger doesn’t guarantee you’ll get p
ublished, but it does mean your work will be seen by leading agents and top editors.
The Dundee International Book Prize
E [email protected]
W www.dundeebookprize.com
Established 1996
Insider Info Sponsored by Birlinn Ltd and the University of Dundee. Normally awarded every two years. The winning writer receives £10,000 and the publication of their novel.
Genres Fiction, Novels
Submission Guidelines See website for deadline. Entrants must not have had a novel previously published. Children’s novels are not eligible.
Tips There are no restrictions on theme or style. Entries must be made by email as a Word document; see website for details.
The Elizabeth Goudge Trophy
E [email protected]
W www.rna-uk.org
Insider Info An annual competition sponsored by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Writers are invited to submit entries based on a romance theme set by the Chairman. The winner is presented with a silver bowl at the conference.
Genres Fiction
Submission Guidelines Work should be previously unpublished.
Tips Open to RNA members only.
Harry Bowling Prize for New Writing
StorytrackS, 16 St Briac Way, Bystock, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 5RN
W www.harrybowlingprize.co.uk
Established 2000
Insider Info An award for the best opening chapter and synopsis of a novel set in London. In memory of Harry Bowling, a successful writer who set much of his work in London. Held every two (even) years, the overall winner receives £1,000 and runners up receive £100 each. Judges include Jane Morpeth (Harry Bowling’s Editor at Hodder Headline) and Laura Longrigg (his Agent at MBA). Entrants must not have published any adult works of fiction before, however they may have published short stories, scripts for television and radio, nonfiction and children’s fiction and non-fiction.
Genres Fiction
Submission Guidelines Submissions should be received by 31 March each year. Guidelines are available online. Entry fee of £10.
Tips Submit up to 5,000 words and a 500-word synopsis by post, along with an entry form (available from the website), entry fee and SAE if receipt is required. A list of criteria that the judges are looking for is published on the website – read this thoroughly before entering.
Impress Prize for New Writers
Impress Books Ltd, The Innovation Centre, University of Exeter Campus, Rennes Drive, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RN
T 01392 262301
F 01392 262303
E [email protected]
W www.impress-books.co.uk
Contact Dr Richard Willis
Established 2007
Insider Info Offers a prize of a publishing contract with Impress Books. Winners aim to be published the year following the award.
Genres No specific genre
Submission Guidelines Open to new writers who have not previously published a book-length publication. Submissions should be in the form of a proposal, biography and sample chapter up to 6,000 words. Entry date for year of entry and full details can be found on the website.
Tips The prize is designed to publish new, innovative writing talent.
The Joan Hessayon New Writers’ Scheme Award
E [email protected]
W www.rna-uk.org
Competition/Award Director Roger Sanderson
Insider Info Sponsored by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Awarded annually for a debut published romance novel from a member of their New Writers’ Scheme. The writer must still be a member of the New Writers’ Scheme at the time of the award and the winning novel in particular must have been developed through the scheme.
Genres Fiction, Novels
Submission Guidelines The book must either be published or under contract with a publisher.
Tips Any unpublished romantic novelist may apply to join the New Writers’ Scheme. Entry forms are available from the website and fees are £90. Members will have access to all the events and services of the RNA and will be entitled to a manuscript appraisal service.
Leaf Books Writing Competitions
Gti Suite, Ty Menter, Navigation Park, Aberycynon, CF45 4SN
T 029 2081 0726
E [email protected]
W www.leafbooks.co.uk
Competition/Award Director Sam Burns
Established 2005
Insider Info Ongoing competitions for fiction, short stories, micro-fiction and poetry. Each competition is run in order to get the winning entries into print. Prize consists of publication in a Leaf book and £150. Judged by named judges, or a panel of readers. Rights to submitted material remains with the author upon entry. Competition open to any writer.
Genres Fiction
Submission Guidelines Guidelines and entry form available via SAE. Entry fee varies. Work should be previously unpublished.
Tips Read the guidelines on the website.
McKitterick Prize
84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB
T 020 7373 6642
F 020 7373 5768
E [email protected]
W www.societyofauthors.org
Insider Info Sponsored by the Society of Authors. Awarded for a first full length novel by a writer over the age of 40. Awarded annually, the winner receives £4,000. The writer must be over the age of 40 on 31 December in the year of submission.
Genres Novels
Submission Guidelines Guidelines available on the website. Previously published entries must have appeared in print between 1 January and 31 December the previous year. Accepts unpublished entries.
Tips Send four copies of the book (if published), or the first 30 pages of the manuscript (if unpublished), to Paula Johnson, Awards Secretary at the Society of Authors. Entries are normally invited from late summer.
Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance
4 Connaught Gardens, PO Box 56923, London, N10 3YU
E Online form
W www.melissanathan.com
Insider Info The Melissa Nathan Award is presented to a writer of a comedy romance title published during the previous year. The prize was set up by Nathan, a writer, before she died in 2006 and was first awarded in 2007. The winner receives a prize of £5,000 and a trophy.
Genres Romance/Comedy Novels
Submission Guidelines Use the online form on the website where there is an option to click on ‘enter competition’, for more information. Publishers should send six copies of nominated titles.
Tips Entries should link the two main elements – comedy and romance – together in a way that is ‘compelling and natural’. The inaugural winner was bestseller Marian Keyes.
National Association of Writers Groups Creative Writing Competitions
PO Box 9891, Market Harborough, LE16 0FU
E [email protected]
W www.nawg.co.uk
Insider Info The NAWG runs a variety of annual competitions including the NAWG/Writers’ News Short Story Competition. Other categories have included: Mini-Tale; Denise Robertson Trophy for the Best Group Anthology; Best Limerick; Free Verse Poem; Children’s Poem; Collection of Five Poems; Open Short Story; Short Story (with given last line); Children’s Short Story; Novel (previously unpublished); Non-Fictional Article in ‘how-to’ mode; and Fantasy/Science-Fiction. Awarded annually, each category has different prizes but there are often small cash prizes, books and trophies on offer.
Genres Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Novels, Articles, Short Stories, Story Collections
Submission Guidelines There are various entry fees. Works should be unpublished.
Tips Details of further competitions, categories and closing dates will be published on the website along with shortlisted and winning entries from previous years.
Noma Award for Publishing in Africa
PO Box 128, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX8 5XU
T 01993 775235
F 0199
3 709265
E [email protected]
W www.nomaaward.org
Competition/Award Director Mary Jay
Established 1979
Insider Info Sponsored by Kodansha Ltd, Japan. An annual $10,000 award for a book by an African writer and published by an independent/autonomous African publishing house domiciled on the continent. Scholarly works, literature and children’s books are eligible. Submission and entry must be made by publisher; maximum of three entries. The purpose is to encourage African scholars and writers to publish with African publishers, rather than abroad, with a view to strengthening African publishing. Judged by a panel of African and international scholars and book experts, chaired by Walter Bgoya, Tanzanian publisher. No entry fee. The writer must be an African national, wherever resident.
Genres Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Essays, Children’s, Novels, Short Stories, Drama
Submission Guidelines Deadline for entry is the end of April each year. Guidelines and entry forms do not need SAE; they can be posted, emailed, or downloaded from the website. Previously published entries must appear in print between 1 January and 31 December the previous year.
Tips If interpretation of guidelines gives rise to questions of eligibility, the Secretariat can advise.
Opening Pages Competition
E [email protected]
W www.ukauthors.com
Insider Info Sponsored by volunteer readers, professional editors and the UKA Press to support UK Authors writing site activities, this annual competition offers detailed feedback on the opening 3,000 words of a book. Run annually, ‘feedback entrants’ receive a five page detailed assessment on their writing, 65 pages of writing advice, and six to ten independent reader reports.
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