For Children's Writers
The Greenhouse Funny Prize: Open to unagented writers based in the UK and Ireland. Judged by Julia Churchill (Greenhouse Literary Agency) and Leah Thaxton (Publishing Director of Egmont Children’s Books). Prize is an offer of representation from Greenhouse and a weekend ticket to the Writers’ Workshop Festival of Writing (7th-9th September 2012). From the Greenhouse website: “Our judging criterion is very simple. Funny, and we are wide open to all ages.” The competition closes on 30th July 2012. Rules and entry guidelines can be found at http://www.greenhouseliterary.com/index.php/site/funny_prize.
Write Now: This competition is run by PanMacmillan, and is open to unpublished UK residents aged 18 or over. It will be judged by Macmillan editors and one independent adjudicator. The competition closes at midnight on 1st December 2012. Entries should be aimed at 9+, 11+ or teen, with no explicit content. The winner will receive a cash prize of £10,000 and a publishing contract with PanMacmillan. Further details can be found through their website at http://www.writenowcompetition.com/Enter.
Times/Chicken House Children’s Competition: Chicken House no longer accept unsolicited submissions, so this competition is the only way to submit to them as an unagented author. They are looking for fiction aimed at children aged 7-18, of any genre. From the Chicken House website: “We are looking for original ideas, a fresh voice and a story that children will love.” The competition closes on October 26th 2012. http://doublecluck.com/submissions/
Guardian/Hot Key Books Young Writers Competition: Hot Key Books are a new publisher about town, set to publish their first titles in Autumn 2012. Together with The Guardian, they have started a competition for children’s writers aged 18-25. Entries are divided into two categories: target age-range of 9-12 and 13-19. Winners will be given editorial support and the chance to be published by Hot Key Books. The competition for 2012 has now closed, but it is expected that this will become an annual competiton. More information can be found at http://hotkeyblog.wordpress.com/young-writers-prize/.
Winchester Writers Conference: Every year, this conference runs a number of competitions for unpublished writers. Deadlines are generally in late May/early June. 2012 competitions included Writing for Children (the opening 500 words of a novel), First Three Pages of a Novel (including novels for adults), Writing for Children 8-12. http://www.writersconference.co.uk/
Red House Young Writers’ Yearbook Competition: A competition for young writers, aged 7-17. You can submit a poem, short story or article. The prize is publication in the Red House Yearbook. The competition for 2012 is now closed, but they run it annually, and the 2013 competition should run early next year (this year’s deadline was 2nd May). Find out more at: https://www.redhouse.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_content1_tbp?storeId=10151&catalogId=18201&langId=100&title=%20Red%20House%20Competitions&spotName=wl_RHcompetitionsRHYWYB2012&description=Red%20House%20Competitions%20RHYWYB
Undiscovered Voices: Undiscovered Voices is run every two years by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and you need to be a member to enter. The winners have the opening excerpt of their novel printed in an anthology which is sent out to agents and editors throughout the country. So far, they have helped 14 authors to publication. The next competition will begin in Autumn 2013. http://www.undiscoveredvoices.com/index.php.
For Crime Fiction writers
Stylist/Faber and Faber: Stylist have teamed up with Faber and Faber this year to offer a publishing contract to one lucky crime fiction writer, including an advance of £5,000. The novel must feature a female protagonist. The competition will be judged by Ruth Rendell (author), Lisa Smosarski (Stylist editor), Hannah Griffiths and Angus Cargill (senior editors at Faber and Faber) and Sue Swift (Kudos Television). The deadline is 12th July 2012. You can find more information at http://www.stylist.co.uk/books/get-published/crime-fiction-competition.
Bloody Scotland's Glencoyne Whisky Short Story Competition: A competition for short story crime fiction around the theme 'Worth the Wait'. The prize is publication in an e-book anthology. One overall winner will also receive a decanter of rare whisky (of course!), their choice of a week-long residential Arvon course and a weekend pass to the Bloody Scotland festival in September 2012. http://www.bloodyscotland.com/competition/
FlashBang: Think you can tell a crime story in 150 words? Try FlashBang. The prize is a pair of weekend passes to CrimeFest2012. The 2012 competition is now closed, but they plan to run it again in 2013, so keep an eye out for details at http://flashbangcontest.wordpress.com/.
For Romance writers
So You Think You Can Write: This one is run by Harlequin and Mills & Boon. Details haven't been released yet, except that it kicks off in September 2012 and you'll need a finished manuscript. Keep an eye on their website at http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/.
Undiscovered Voices: Undiscovered Voices is run every two years by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and you need to be a member to enter. The winners have the opening excerpt of their novel printed in an anthology which is sent out to agents and editors throughout the country. So far, they have helped 14 authors to publication. The next competition will begin in Autumn 2013. http://www.undiscoveredvoices.com/index.php.
For Crime Fiction writers
Stylist/Faber and Faber: Stylist have teamed up with Faber and Faber this year to offer a publishing contract to one lucky crime fiction writer, including an advance of £5,000. The novel must feature a female protagonist. The competition will be judged by Ruth Rendell (author), Lisa Smosarski (Stylist editor), Hannah Griffiths and Angus Cargill (senior editors at Faber and Faber) and Sue Swift (Kudos Television). The deadline is 12th July 2012. You can find more information at http://www.stylist.co.uk/books/get-published/crime-fiction-competition.
Bloody Scotland's Glencoyne Whisky Short Story Competition: A competition for short story crime fiction around the theme 'Worth the Wait'. The prize is publication in an e-book anthology. One overall winner will also receive a decanter of rare whisky (of course!), their choice of a week-long residential Arvon course and a weekend pass to the Bloody Scotland festival in September 2012. http://www.bloodyscotland.com/competition/
FlashBang: Think you can tell a crime story in 150 words? Try FlashBang. The prize is a pair of weekend passes to CrimeFest2012. The 2012 competition is now closed, but they plan to run it again in 2013, so keep an eye out for details at http://flashbangcontest.wordpress.com/.
For Romance writers
So You Think You Can Write: This one is run by Harlequin and Mills & Boon. Details haven't been released yet, except that it kicks off in September 2012 and you'll need a finished manuscript. Keep an eye on their website at http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/.
