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Our current competition: New Writers Novel Prize 2026 – Deadline: 31st October 2026. Top Prize: £1,000 + Lifetime Access to The Novel Factory (Version 3).
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At NewWriters.org.uk, we curate the best and most trusted current and upcoming writing competitions for writers in the UK and internationally — including flash fiction, short stories, poetry, novels, and non-fiction. Each competition listing includes the deadline, prize details, word limit, entry fee, and eligibility so you can quickly decide which contests fit your writing goals.
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The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest is returning for the sixth consecutive year. Writing a novel is tough work, and the organisers want to encourage everyone who’s undertaking this arduous journey to share their most exciting excerpts. They are seeking resonant narratives, memorable characters, a voice that’s uniquely yours.
You should enter an excerpts that stands alone, that does not require a synopsis for understanding. Most importantly, the organisers are looking for excerpts that grab them from the get-go and refuse to let go. There are no limitations on genre, though they are primarily interested in literary fiction. Submissions for the Novel Excerpt Contest opened on 1 September and close on 8 November 2026.
This year’s guest judge: Chinelo Okparanta, author of Under the Udala Tree, the forthcoming This Impossible Life, and more! Okparanta will select three finalists from a shortlist provided by The Masters Review’s editorial staff. The winning excerpt will be awarded $3,000; online publication; and an hour-long consultation with Marin Takikawa, a literary agent with The Friedrich Agency. Second- and third-place excerpts will be awarded online publication and $300 and $200 respectively, in addition to written feedback from Takikawa.
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