A writing Prize run by writers for writers. The Only worldwide Prize Offering Feedback since 2021 to EVERY Entry. If you have entered before, you may enter the same novel again after your feedback.
Cheshire Novel Prize invite submissions worldwide from un-agented authors of adult fiction, memoir and fictional memoir.
Our 2025 competition is now closed.
An update on the 2025 prize.
We are currently working on collating the scores from the top 100 down to the longlist.
In the four years I have run this prize we have always stuck to the deadlines for long listing but due to unforeseen circumstances, looking at the workload it makes sense for me to push back the longlist announcement from the 30th of July to the 30th of August.
I would like to apologise for this, but I wanted to ensure that the quality and integrity of the prize is not compromised by rushing the process. It is I feel, unfair to the entrants who have invested money and time in entering, for me to rush the process and not give each entry who has made the Top 100 the necessary time and energy they deserve so that they get a fair chance at the longlist.
What this means for you is:
· Snippets will run from the last week in August
· The longlist will be now announced on the Ist of September
· Top 100 will receive an email on the 2nd of September
· The shortlist will be announced on the 1st of October
· The winner and Highly Commended will be announced on the 5th of November
· Feedback will go out until the 1st of January 2026
We cannot enter into any correspondence about our feedback. We use feedback templates and so the first few paragraphs are standard to every entrant as well as the generic feedback given.
You may find it useful to sign up to our newsletters for regular prize updates to keep updated.
How does it work?
The Cheshire Novel Prize is open to un-agented authors over the age of 18 at the time of entry.
Entering any novel prize or competition can be daunting. Putting your work out there is never an easy decision. That’s why we believe that EVERY writer should receive a page of feedback as to why they were not long-listed or shortlisted. This feedback is included in the cost of your entry fee of £29. We don’t charge you extra to find out why you were not successful.
Having that feedback can really help writers to realise that not only is reading subjective, but sometimes the reasons for not being long-listed have nothing to do with the quality of the work or the ability of the writer.
We accept all genres including memoir, fictional memoir. We do not accept children’s novels but we accept YA for both the children’s prize and the adult prize.
Please do check out our Cheshire Novel Prize Kids prize if you are writing for children: www.cheshirenovelprizekids.com
If you would like to sponsor a writer to enter, please, get in touch. We are so grateful to all of our sponsors.
We pride ourselves on being one of the most transparent prizes out there and we strive to ensure our prize is writer centric.
If you are wondering what your entry fee goes toward, this is how we invest it:
Paying for prize money, trophies and judge’s fees.
Paying for editors to help collate feedback and for editorial time spent writing feedback.
Each year our founder Sara Naidine Cox—along with our generous sponsors— ensures that there are unlimited sponsored places for under-represented writers as long as they meet our criteria. Sara believes all under-represented writers worldwide should have the ability to showcase their work.
Sponsored places for under-represented writers for summer school.
Platform fees for our card provider and tax.
Cheshire Novel Prize admin team.
On-going technical support.
Advertising.
The latest “Writing Tips”
Huge thanks go to all these amazing writers and agents who have paid for underrepresented writers to apply to The Cheshire Novel Prize:
If you would like to sponsor a writer to enter please , get in touch