New book prize to award aspiring writer £75,000 for first three pages of novel

The Guardian

01-05-2025

A new competition is offering £75,000 to an aspiring writer based on just three pages of their novel.
Actor Emma Roberts, Bridgerton author Julia Quinn and Booker-winning Life of Pi author Yann Martel are among the judges for The Next Big Story competition, run by online fiction writing school The Novelry.
Roberts, who co-founded the book club Belletrist, said: 'There's nothing more euphoric than being immersed in the world of a good book and to get lost in the words of a brilliant author. This is a groundbreaking new writing prize and I'm thrilled to be included on this panel of esteemed luminaries.'
Martel said: 'We all need stories to make the world new, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's out there.'
Along with the cash prize, The Novelry will support the winner for a year to develop their idea into a full book. The competition is open to 'all aspiring writers', including 'occasional readers who need encouragement to begin, individuals with limited time or financial means, and those who have been historically overlooked by the publishing industry', said the organisers.
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The Novelry founder and Booker-longlisted author Louise Dean said: 'When it comes to writing fiction, the barriers to engagement seem so high. So many self-exclude and find it hard to get the nerve to even try their hand. We want to change that with an extraordinary prize that rewards the mischief of that moment and the impulse of creativity, when a first sentence goes down on a page and anything can happen next'.
Also on the judging panel are Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage and winner of the 2019 Women's prize for fiction; actor Zosia Mamet; podcasters Zibby Owens and Jackie Oshry; author Carley Fortune; and book influencers Brady Lockerby and Kimmy Nwokorie.
Jones said: 'Somewhere out there is a writer whose life is about to change. I can't wait to meet them – and their work.'
Entrants from the UK, US, Canada and Australia are invited to submit the first three pages of their novel via The Novelry's website by 31 July. Each entry costs £15 and there is no limit on the number of entries each writer can submit. A shortlist selected by a team at The Novelry will be put to a public vote from 28 September. Guided by the public vote, the judging panel will pick a winner, to be announced on 12 October. The prize is funded by The Novelry.