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Competition Details
The Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award, to give the Bridport Prize Novel Award’s official name, is one of the most sought-after prizes in literature. If ever there was a prize win on a CV to make an agent or publisher take note, the Bridport is it.
While the £1,500 top prize is significantly less (and the £24 entry fee significantly more) than for the Short Story Prize, the doors opened by a win or even a shortlist in the Peggy Chapman-Andrews makes it well worth entering.
To enter you need to submit an extract of between 5,000 and 8,000 words from the opening chapters of your novel, plus a 300-word synopsis. If you make it to the longlist, you’ll then need to submit 15,000 words (including your initial submission); then if you make the shortlist you’ll need to send in a total of 30,000 words. So, if you fancy your chances of winning this one, don’t enter unless you have made significant progress with your novel.
The judge for the novel competition is https://clairefuller.co.uk/, author of five novels including the Costa Novel Award winning Unsettled Ground, also shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her latest novel is The Memory of Animals. Her debut Our Endless Numbered Days won the 2015 Desmond Elliott Prize.
As well as the prizes mentioned above, the top five entries will receive appraisal from The Literary Consultancy and the winner will also gain a consultation with literary agent A.M. Health and publisher Headline, which could prove invaluable (though there are no promises you’ll get a publishing deal out of it!).
The following additional prizes may also apply to entrants who fit certain criteria:
Young Writer Award £500 – For the highest placed writer aged 16 to 25 in poetry, short story, flash fiction and novel.
Never Too Late Award – This £500 award is given to the highest placed writer aged 60+ in Poetry, Short Story, Novel and Flash Fiction. The winning piece will feature in our anthology, which counts as being published and opens doors with literary agents and publishers. It also accesses other competitions not available to the public.
Dorset Award £100 – Given to the highest placed Dorset writer in poetry, short story, flash fiction and novel. Sponsored by The Bookshop, Bridport.
Details