We are delighted to announce that the Exeter Novel Prize has a new home with Word Kitchen. We are looking to develop the prize, and by the time we open this year’s competition in July there may be some changes, so do re-visit this page!

We are NOT accepting entries just yet, but we will open the competition on JULY 1ST ‘25.

This prestigious prize welcomes entries in English from all over the world . The prize is open to all authors who are without representation by a literary agent at the closing date, January 1st 2026, whether or not they have previously been published. ​​ Hellie Ogden, head of the book dept at WME Agency's London office, will choose the short list and winner for the competition.

First prize of £1000 
​Five finalists receive £100

What you will need to send us is the first ten thousand words, including synopsis, of a novel that has not been accepted for publication by a traditional publishing house. 

2024 Winner - Last Castle Standing by Nida Broughton - congratulations to Nida!

2024 Short List
​A View of the Open Sky – Elisa Oh
​Bahadur is my Name – Loftus Brown
​Last Castle Standing – Nida Broughton 
​The Alchemy of Light – Lenore Hart
​The King's Wife – Lauren Neely
The Revenge of Hepsibah Brown – Beth Webb​

For more information on the 2024 competition and previous winners over the years, please visit creative writing matters

2025 PRIZE OPENS FOR ENTRIES ON

JULY 1ST

Entry Information

Exeter Novel Prize entry fee - £20

Entry fee including appraisal - £150

Appraisals: for an extra fee, we will write a detailed, one-page appraisal of your submission. These have proved very popular in the past. Here are some of the responses from previous years:

• Thank you so much for this report, incredibly motivating, helpful and insightful, I’m already actioning the suggestions - Laura Bellingham

• Many thanks to your team and especially to Margaret James for her thoughtful—and very helpful—response to my entry. Among the several contests I’ve entered, and the several queries I’ve already sent out, I haven’t yet received a response as thorough and intelligent as hers - Gregory Bayer

• Many thanks for your constructive feedback. This was my first children's novel, and I am so pleased to read what worked and how to improve it - Margaret Magee

How to Enter the 2025 Exeter Novel Prize

the competition will run between JULY 1st 2025 and January 1st 2026

1 - Please read all the rules before you proceed. We don't want to disqualify anyone.
2 - In the subject line of your email, type ENP followed by the title of your novel.
3 - In the body of the email type your name, contact details (postal address and mobile and/or landline number) and the title of your novel. If payment is made using a different name, it is essential you include that name in the email you send with the novel.
4 - Attach your novel and synopsis (as one document) in one of the formats set out in Rule 6. Your name and contact details must not appear anywhere on the attachment. Email to exeternovelprize@gmail.com
5 - Click on the appropriate Paypal button (which will appear below when the competition opens!) and pay the fee.

RULES
1.     The 2025 Exeter Novel Prize is open for submissions from July 1st until 11.59pm on January 1st 2026, which is without exception the closing date. Any entries received after this date will be disqualified and no refund of the entry fee will be made.
2.    The competition is open to everyone, living anywhere in the world, published, self-published or yet to be published, who is not represented by a literary agent. All those long-listed will be asked if they are still eligible to go forward.
3.    Entries should take the form of the opening of your novel (not a random selection of scenes) and must not exceed a total of ten thousand words, which includes a synopsis of not more than five hundred words. Any entries received without a synopsis will be disqualified. Entries must be the author’s own work. The novel does not have to be complete. Self-published novels are acceptable.
4.    You may enter more than one novel, but each entry must be emailed separately and must be accompanied by a separate entry fee. 
5.    All genres including children’s of Middle Grade (9-12), Young Adult and New Adult are acceptable. 
6.    Your name should not appear anywhere on the attachment. The attachment should have the same name as the title of your novel as it appears in the subject line of your email (minus ENP, see How to Enter).  Only doc, docx, rtf and pdf files will be accepted. Any other formats will be disqualified. Please present your work in 12pt Times New Roman or Arial, 1.5 or double-spaced. ​
7.    Entries must be in English.
8.    Entrants must be over 18 years of age.
9.    Entry must be made electronically and the fee paid via Paypal. The prize monies will be awarded via Paypal. The receipt issued by Paypal on payment of the entry fee is your receipt of entry. All Paypal receipts are matched with submissions and if we receive one without the other we will contact you. See How to Enter below. If you do not already have a Paypal account, please visit www.paypal.com for details.
10. Literary agent, Hellie Ogden from WME Agency will be the final judge. Although the organisers hope the winning entrant will achieve publication, no guarantee of agent representation or publication can be given.
11.   The decision of the judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into. ​