The Novel Prize / How To Apply (Awards: $10,000 + more)

The Novel Prize is a new biennial award for a book-length work of literary fiction written in English. The prize is worth $10,000 and is open to both published and unpublished writers from around the world. The Novel Prize was organised by the following presses: Fitzcarraldo Editions, Giramondo, and New Directions, with Fitzcarraldo Editions reading submissions from Africa and Europe, Giramondo from Asia and Australasia, and New Directions from the Americas. According to the organizers: 

“The judges will be looking for novels which explore and expand the possibilities of the form, and are innovative and imaginative in style.”

Submissions will close by July 1, 2020.

Eligibility:

• There is no submission fee. 
• Writers of all ages from all over the world, both published and unpublished, are eligible to enter for the prize.

How to Submit:

• Submit a complete manuscript of literary fiction that is not below 30,000 words. 
• The submission should be original (must be unpublished).
• Each writer can submit only once.
• All submitted manuscripts must be written in English, no translations.
• Your submission should include page numbers, double-spaced, 12 pt. 
• Include a cover letter that includes a  brief bio, contact details, and a brief outline of the novel.
• Writers, in Africa or Europe, can submit by email to novelprize@fitzcarraldoeditions.com.
• Or by post to Fitzcarraldo Editions, A104, 8-12 Creekside, London SE8 3DX.
• The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2020. A shortlist of six writers will be released in December 2020.
• If you’re a resident of the Americas, you can submit your manuscript to the New Direction Publishing House, on or before the 15th of July, 2020.
• Writers based in Asia and Australasia should submit to Giramondo Publishing via this submissions link.All entries should be submitted before the July 1st, 2020 deadline.

Prize:

• The winner receives $10,000.
• The winning novel will also be published simultaneously in the UK and Ireland by the London-based Fitzcarraldo Editions, in Australia and New Zealand by Sydney publisher Giramondo, and in North America by New York’s New Directions.

To increase your chances of winning The Novel Prize, read How To Start A Novel: A Guide To Writing Bestselling Fiction.

Good luck.