Welcome to Briar Books Novel Writing Competition 2027
in collaboration with the Brontë Writing Centre
We want to publish the three best novels of 2027 and we are open to submissions from everyone and every kind of novel and genre with the exception of children’s fiction. We accept novels from agented and un-agented writers. Your novel could be your debut or you may have published novels before, we don’t mind, we just want to find and publish the best work around. Your novel must be complete and over 50,000 words. There is no upper limit on length.
So, apart from children’s fiction (under 16), everything else goes. The winner will be published by Briar Books, and so will second and third place winners. There will also be prize money of £500 for first place, £250 for second place, and £100 for third place. A highly commended list that we will publicise.
The cost to enter is £29.
Please send your novel as a doc, docx or pdf file. Your novel should be double spaced in 12 point typeface using a serif font such as Times Roman. Clearly number all pages and include a title page with just the title of your novel. Your name should not appear anywhere on the script. Please email once you have paid, using your PayPal purchase number as the subject of your message. Email as an attachment to briar.books@outlook.com
Open for entries from 1st November 2026
Closed for entries at midnight GMT on 30 March 2027
Judges: Michael Stewart and Claire O’Callaghan
Prizes: first prize, £500 and publication; second prize, £250 and publication; £100 and publication.
Entry fee: £29 per novel (you can enter as many times as you like). Payments should be made through PayPal using this link only.
Novels can be any genre for adults and young adults.
Novels must be at least 50,000 words and should be complete.
Only submit novels that you have written. No A.I. entries.
The competition is open to any adult over 18 of any nationality, resident in the UK.
All entries are read anonymously and judged solely on their literary merit.
We are open to unpublished, published and self-published writers.
