The Nine Dots Prize 2023/2024 is Now Open (Prize: $10000 + Book Publication )

The Nine Dots Prize for 2023/2024 is currently open to writers with original creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues.

 

The Nine Dots Prize is sponsored by Cambridge University Press and Kadas Foundation and had its launch in 2016. The Prize seeks to reward original thinking in response to contemporary societal issues. Each Prize cycle lasts two years, with a new question being announced every other October. Like other years, Nine Dots Prize 2023/2024 encourages innovative thinking and engaging new writing that confronts some of the most significant issues of our time.

Judges of the Nine Dots Prize will select submissions based on these criteria:

• are original,
• important and of excellent quality;
• contain a strong argument and show a depth of analysis;
• are rigorous whilst being accessibly written and engaging for a wide audience;
• exhibit a distinctive voice;
• are relevant to the question.

If you have great ideas and write eloquently, do not hesitate to apply

Eligibility for the Nine Dots Prize 2023/2024

• Writers must be 18 years of age.
• Writing must be in English Language.
• Responses from new voices, as well as from experienced authors, are welcomed
• Joint entries will be considered, although proposals that put forward a number of authors all contributing single sections (such as an edited collection) will not be accepted.
• Only one entry per author will be accepted (whether as an individual or with others).

 

Submission Guidelines for the Nine Dots Prize

 

The question for the 2023/2024 cycle is: ‘Why has the rule of law become so fragile?’

There are three main parts required for submission to the Nine Dot Prize:

• Writers must submit a summary response to the set question. It must not be more than 3,000 words in length. If you win the Prize, you will be required – with the support of the editorial team at CUP – to develop this summary into a short book of between 25,000 and 40,000 words. Therefore, the summary should cover the main ideas and arguments your proposed book will make, the evidence and research on which it draws and the key conclusions it will reach.
• Secondly, you are required to submit an outline structure of this short book, including provisional chapter headings. This can be no more than 1,000 words and must show how you see your response expanding into a complete book and how you would develop your arguments. It is an opportunity to prove that your arguments have enough depth to provide content for an entire book.
• Finally, you must submit a justification statement, which can be no more than 1,000 words, that sets out how you will complete the book in the time given (approx. seven months). This will outline your previous experience in communicating effectively about evidence, research and ideas, and a commitment from you that your responsibilities will allow the book to be completed in the seven-month period.

Other submission guidelines include:

• Entries must be submitted via the online submission form.
• Submissions should be made in Word (.doc or .docx formats).
• Importantly, submissions should not exceed 5MB in size.
• Late submissions will also not be accepted.
• Entries that are over the set word limits for any of the three parts will not be accepted.
• Fiction entries will be accepted as submissions. However, like other entries, it would need to engage fully with the question and utilise research, evidence and experience in order to answer it.
• Finally, the summary response should include references to the research and evidence used. References can be in any format. References in the form of endnotes, footnotes or a Bibliography at the end of the document do not count towards the 3,000-word limit. References included in the main body of the text will be counted.

Be sure to edit your work thoroughly before submission .

 

Prize

• $100,000 for the winning entry (payable in three stages: on the announcement of the winner, on delivery of the manuscript to Cambridge University Press, and publication of the book.)
• Book publication: The book will be published by Cambridge University Press and made available open access online, and also published in a range of print and digital commercial formats. Cambridge University Press will also provide support and editorial assistance to the Prize winner.

Before submission, you are required to read the Prize Rules.

 

Deadline for Submission of the Nine Dots Prize 2023/2024

All Entries must be submitted by midday (GMT) on Monday 23^rd January 2023.The winner will be announced in May 2023.

 

Read more about the Nine Dot Prize on their website.