Welcome to the first-ever New Writers Novel Prize, in association with The Novel Factory. We are seeking the first 500 words of your unpublished novel or novella. The winner will receive £1,000 plus Lifetime Access to The Novel Factory (Version 3) writing software (worth $649).
Second place will receive £300 plus a 12-month Standard Subscription to The Novel Factory, and third place will win £200 plus a 12-month Basic Subscription to The Novel Factory. All Entrants will receive a 30% discount off annual subscriptions or lifetime licences to The Novel Factory (details in the confirmation email upon entry).
The deadline is 23.59 (UK time) on Saturday, 31st October 2026 and 10% of the entry fee proceeds will be donated to charity, split equally between First Story and The Funzi & Bodo Trust.
If you are ready to enter the competition, head straight to the ENTRY FORM to submit.
Alternatively, read our Frequently Asked Questions or read a little about our Head Judge, Katja Kaine.
Also, please subscribe to the NewWriters.org.uk monthly newsletter to gain access to exclusive free-to-enter micro, flash and poetry competitions (with cash prizes), book and writing course giveaways and the latest writing competition listings: SUBSCRIBE HERE
New Writers Novel Prize 2026 – At A Glance:
- Deadline: 23.59 (UK time) on Saturday, 31st October 2026
- Entry Fee: £12 (one entry), £22 (two entries), £31 (three entries)
- Prizes: 1st: £1,000 + Lifetime Access to The Novel Factory (Version 3); 2nd: £300 + 12-month Standard Subscription to The Novel Factory; 3rd: £200 + 12-month Basic Subscription to The Novel Factory;
- All entrants: 30% discount off The Novel Factory writing software (annual or lifetime subscriptions)
- Head Judge: Katja Kaine, award-winning author and The Novel Factory* founder
- Publication: The three winning entries will be published on the NewWriters.org.uk website and in the New Writers Anthology
- Word Limit: The opening 500 words of your unpublished novel or novella
- Eligibility: Open to writers aged 18+ from anywhere in the world; entries must be written in English
- Theme/Genre: Open to any theme or genre of novels or novellas written for adults or young adults
- Charity: 10% of entry fee proceeds will be donated to charity, split equally between First Story and The Funzi & Bodo Trust
- Please read the full Competition Terms & Conditions before entering
- Winners will be notified by email no later than Friday, 18th December 2026. The public announcement of winners and shortlisted entries will also be made by that date.
We want to make the competition accessible to as many writers as possible. We therefore have a limited number of free entries for low-income writers, available on a first-come, first-served basis (although no later than 22nd October 2026). Please see the terms and conditions for details.
*Note: if you click through to The Novel Factory site and purchase the software, they will give New Writers UK a small commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it have to be the opening 500 words, or can I pick any 500-word section from my novel or novella?
We are seeking the opening 500 words because that is what prospective agents or publishers would read first. It is also the most likely part someone would read when browsing in a bookshop or on a website when deciding which book to purchase.
What happens if I purchase The Novel Factory software with the discount and then finish in the top three and win a subscription?
If you purchase an annual or lifetime subscription to The Novel Factory and your entry is selected as one of the winners for this competition, you will receive a refund on the cost of the software.
Which charities are you supporting through this writing competition?
We will donate 10% of entry fee proceeds (i.e. after PayPal fees) to charity, split equally between the following UK-registered charities:
- First Story – working together with teachers, professional writers and others, to provide opportunities for under-served young people to participate in enriching creative writing activities.
- The Funzi & Bodo Trust – helps provide education for children and adults, cares for sick and disabled people, and helps families establish small business ventures.
Does my novel or novella have to be finished before I enter?
Certainly not. We have deliberately limited this competition to the first 500 words of your novel or novella because this could serve as a springboard for a new book. If you have already finished your book, that’s great. But you can enter this competition even if you have only written the first 500 words.
Can I enter stories that have been published elsewhere?
No, this would invalidate your entry, even if published on your own website or social media.
What if my entry wins a prize or gets published after I’ve entered the New Writers Novel Prize?
If this happens, please email us and withdraw your entry from this competition. No entry fee refunds would be granted in this scenario.
Is the competition open to unpublished writers only?
The competition is open to published and unpublished writers alike. The main thing is that the entry or entries you submit must not have been published elsewhere (including online or on social media) and must not have been awarded a prize in another competition.
It is fine if your entry has made a shortlist or longlist in another competition, as long as the entry itself was not published (it’s fine if the title and author name) were mentioned).
Where will you publish the winning entries?
The three prize-winning entries will be published on the NewWriters.org.uk website and in the next edition of the New Writers Anthology.
Are there are any free entries for people on low incomes?
We will provide a limited number of free entries available to people from low-income households. Details of how to apply can be found in the terms and conditions. Note that this must be done before 22nd October 2026. Writers on low incomes will be granted one free entry.
Is there is a discount for multiple entries?
Yes. If you pay for and submit two or three entries at the same time, you will receive a discount. Entry fees: £12 for one entry | £22 for two entries (save £2) | £31 for three entries (save £5). Note that the maximum number of entries is three per person.
Should I put my name on the entry?
Please do not put your name or any other identifying information on the entry (as they are judged anonymously). Please write only the title (not included in the word count) and the story or poem itself in the body of the entry document.
Should I include the word count on the entry?
There’s no need to include the word count, as we check every entry. But please double-check that your entry is 500 words or fewer (not including the title) before sending it in. We double-check entries using wordcounter.net.
Is there a theme for the competition?
There is no specific theme. Your entry can be about any subject or incorporate any theme or genre, but the competitions is for novels or novellas aimed at either adults or young adults (i.e. not books for children, and not picture books please).
Can I use AI to help me write my entry?
No, do not use AI. Any entries found to have been written by AI, or indeed any that have been plagiarised, will be disqualified and no refund will be given. Note that some software uses AI to check for typos and grammatical errors – this is okay as long as you don’t use AI to rewrite your words. We accept human-written entries only. Note that The Novel Factory writing software does NOT use AI, which is one of the reasons we love it.
Does it matter what font I use?
We’d never disqualify an entry for the font used, but please stick to 12-point Times New Roman or a similar standard font.
Which file formats are allowed?
Please submit your entry or entries as an attachment through the entry form in one of the following file formats: Microsoft Word Document, OpenDocument Text, or PDF (.doc, .docx, .odt, or .pdf). (No .pages files please, we can’t open them!)
About our Head Judge – Katja Kaine
Katja Kaine is a Yorkshire-based writer of fantasy novels. She is also the creator of the Novel Factory software for writers and the Novel Writing Roadmap.
She has won multiple awards for writing, including the Northern Writers Northern Promise Award, the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices competition and been shortlisted for the Bath Children’s Award and the Write Mentor Novel-In Development Award.
Katja is half Singaporean and half German and when she’s not writing can be found cooing over forest fungi, bending into pretzel yoga shapes and raging against the patriarchy.
Katja’s debut novel, Blood of Gods and Girls, was published by Penguin in July 2026.
GOOD LUCK!