Competitions 2026 - I Am In Print Ltd

The I Am Writing Competitions are back for 2026!

Once again, we are hosting TWELVE fabulous opportunities to get your book noticed by industry professionals. And this year, we have something extra special for you!

We've listened to some of your comments about your novel not fitting a particular genre and for the first year we have introduced Commercial Fiction as a category with a top prize of

– wait for it –

a place on the How To Be A Happy and Successful Writer retreat in Naxos, Greece on 20 - 26 September 2026, sponsored by our friends at Naxos Creative.

If you can't wait to see if you are picked as the Commercial Fiction winner to secure your place on a Naxos Creative writing retreat you can use the promo code IAIPNC when booking and receive 10% off. Sun, sea, and all things books. What more could you want?

The fabulous Little Tiger Press is also back to judge and sponsor your Picture Book entries!

And we have introduced a Non-Fiction category for all of you who have researched and written all kinds of topics for your book including (but not limited to) art, cooking, history, travel and memoir.

What is special about the competitions?

So you might be asking why you should enter one of our competitions?

We don't use readers to whittle the list down so each genre is read and judged by the professional literary agent or publisher who is the sole reader of all entries in their category!
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Each competition has its own shortlist, widening the opportunity to help you and your writing shine.
Representation has been offered to multiple writers over the years and publishing deals have been secured. (Our shelves have several books on as a result, with more to follow!)
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Our entry fee is £16 (inc VAT) per entry. In order to be transparent about where the money for your entry goes, please see our FAQs below.
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We provide free entry places for full time carers, those on low-income and writers living with a disability. And to keep things as inclusive as we can, discounted entries are also available for those from an underrepresented background, or in full-time education. (Applications are processed in batches so a short wait time may apply).
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Prizes include money, online consultations, book tokens or written feedback from certain judges, and this year, the Commercial Fiction category is proud to offer a 7-day writing retreat on the Greek Isle of Naxos, sponsored by our lovely friends at Naxos Creative. Please see each individual competition's guidelines for more information on the prizes for each genre.

Important Dates

Competitions Open
Monday, 30 March 2026

Competition Close
Thursday, 14 May 2026 at 1pm BST

Shortlist Announced
Monday, 8 June 2026

Winners Announced
Monday, 22 June 2026

Sponsorship / Discounted Entry

Applications are invited for free entry places for those on low income, full time carers, and writers living with a disability. There will also be discounted entries allocated for underrepresented writers and students in full-time education. Because of the amount of requests we receive, we process requests in batches, so please be patient when awaiting a response.

For writers who want to pay things forward and help us keep these competitions as accessible and diverse as possible you will be able to sponsor a place to assist the underrepresented writing community in finding their rightful place on a bookshelf or support writers who would otherwise find it financially difficult to enter. With your help, we can provide more opportunities for writers who would otherwise not have access to them. Thank you in advance!

Opportunity Knocks!

At I Am in Print, you know we always work with top industry names and this year we have excelled ourselves at sourcing a dozen fantastic judges who are equally excited to read your entries. If your book spans categories, you may even enter more than one to increase your chance of success.

Please note: judges are open to reading a range of samples in their category, not just titles and suggestions in the bios below. These are only referenced as a flavour of the books they seek to represent in their field. If your book is something different, continue to enter – the judge may find something in your story they hadn't expected to love!

Take a look at each genre below . . .

I Am Writing COMMERCIAL FICTION Competition

Judged by Hayley Steed, Director and Literary Agent at Janklow & Nesbit UK

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of Commercial Fiction novel for adults. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: A place on the How To Be A Happy And Successful Writer Retreat in Naxos, Greece plus a 30 minute online consultation with Hayley Steed

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Hayley Steed

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Hayley Steed

Earning her agency stripes at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, gaining accolades as a 'Trailblazer' and a 'Rising Star', Hayley joined Janklow & Nesbit UK in September 2023, where she is now Director. Her authors include Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling authors of commercial and book club fiction across all genres, such as Yomi Adegoke, Clare Pooley, Heather Marshall, Sarah Clegg, one half of Ellis Hunter, Abigal Avis and Harry Baker.

Hayley is super excited to take on the challenge of reading all commercial entries in our inaugural year of hosting the I Am Writing Commercial Fiction category. She welcomes entries that include, but are not limited to: an epic love story (including the love shared between sisters, mothers and daughters, and friends); a big-themed historical story; emotional family drama; gripping domestic suspense; a locked-room mystery; classic horror with a tense atmosphere; dark academia; dystopian worlds; elevated sci-fi; and anything with a speculative edge, against any setting or backdrop. Sweep Hayley up with your characters' chemistry – especially those with a specific job or skill – and a strong 'what if' scenario. Match these with a distinctive voice and a well-paced commercial plot and you'll really grab her attention.

A novel that spans genres or the crossover space between New Adult and Adult fiction fits well in this category. And if you can't find your style of book referenced here, but it's definitely commercial, consider submitting anyway – Hayley loves surprises! In essence, if what you've written will sit well on any commercial shelf, and you fancy being in with a chance of winning the top prize of a week's writing retreat Greece, this is one category you will want to enter!

I Am Writing CHAPTER BOOKS Competition

Judged by Emily Talbot, Literary Agent at United Agents

Please submit the first 2,000 words of any type of chapter book. Chapter books should be suitable for 6-9 year olds. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Emily Talbot

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Emily Talbot

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Emily Talbot

Before Emily Talbot became a literary agent, she worked in a primary school reading books with children every single day and discovering exactly what they like to read. She has been with United Agents since 2013, beginning in the foreign rights department, and now represents a wide range of children's authors.

When we invited Emily to judge chapter books written for children aged 5 to 8 she responded very quickly to say she "would love to take part!" As this genre sits neatly between picture books and longer middle-grade novels, it is a wonderful way to build a child's confidence as they start to read aloud to a grown-up, or independently. Emily loves working on stories, and believes that the key to writing for this age group is an accessible, commercial approach with a strong series arc and a memorable central character. She wants readers to befriend familiar characters who immediately leap off the page and stay with them long after the book is put back in its school bag or on the bedside table. The best chapter books are written in language that is accessible to the young reader, with an energetic plot, and humour to make them laugh and keep them engaged.

Authors such as Michael Rosen, Ross Montgomery, Alex Milway, Katie Jennings, Phil Earle, Francesca Simon, Cornelia Funke, Julie Sykes, Alex T. Smith, and Harriet Muncaster have all found their way onto bookshelves across the world. Emily would love to discover the next big thing so if you think you have a book to capture the hearts and minds of even the most reluctant of readers, submit your entry here!

I Am Writing CRIME / THRILLER Competition

Judged by Hattie Grünewald, Literary Agent an The Blair Partnership

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of crime / thriller novel for adults. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Hattie Grünewald

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Hattie Grünewald

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Hattie Grünewald

Before joining the Blair Partnership Hattie was a literary agent at Blake Friedmann Agency. She has a degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and is also a poet. In 2020, Hattie was named a 'Bookseller Rising Star' and the 'Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Agent of the Year' and has just this year been nominated for the British Book Awards 'Literary Agent of the Year 2026!'

Hattie is incredibly grateful to all of her authors for putting their trust in her and, in the same vein, thanks anyone in advance here for trusting her to judge their story in her category for I Am Writing Crime/Thriller. She is "looking to find some new crime authors" this year so jumped at the chance to read your stories. To give you a clue about what she loves to read, Hattie welcomes ambitious, immaculately-plotted detective fiction, high-concept novels or clever cosy mysteries with a real puzzle and humour at their heart. And you may earn bonus points on the score sheet if your novel is outside of the ‘male cop, dead woman’ mould (though those are very welcome to enter as nothing is off the mortuary table). Regional crime stories are always high on Hattie's agenda, as well as a strong sense of character and stories that use the crime genre to explore broader societal issues.

If your book has a mystery, a hook or an intriguing character that will grab Hattie from the very first page, this is the category for you. She loves a confident voice, the kind of narrative that really gets inside your head, coupled with convincing dialogue. Introduce her to your characters in your synopsis and if you have a plot or a character that is distinct from other books on the market, your writing might just have the extra sparkle Hattie wants to be dazzled by.

I Am Writing HISTORICAL Competition

Judged by Steven Evans, Literary Agent and Company Manager at Eve White Literary Agency

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of historical novel for adults. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Steven Evans

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Steven Evans

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Steven Evans

After studying French & Italian at Queens’ College, Cambridge, completing an MPhil in Comparative Film & Literature, and working as a university language assistant in Paris and a freelancer for various scouting agencies, Steven joined Eve White in 2021!

He is "delighted" to judge our popular I Am Writing Historical Fiction category this year and, to us, Steven is the perfect judge. If you are writing something set in the past – even something 'not-so-far-back' as the 80s! – your historical references will impress him even more if they are accurate. (Trust us when we say he is widely read!) He loves being immersed in a time that is well researched and will happily move between dual timelines from past to present, or even a work that looks from the past into the future. Perhaps you have based your idea around a topic which is historically accurate? Or perhaps your novel bends history with a revisionist approach, reimagining a known historical event spurred on by new evidence or a different perspective? Whatever the case, Steven loves fiction that explores new ideas and angles in this way and has a passion for history and communities.

Steven would love to see your material with its well-developed characters land in this category's inbox. As a reader, he loves to be challenged with how you, the writer, play with character, style, form and/or plot. Above all, show Steven that your novel has a sense of purpose in bringing the past to life and, where possible, take him completely by surprise.

I Am Writing HORROR Competition

Judged by Marilia Savvides, Director and Literary Agent at The Plot Agency

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of horror novel for adults. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Marilia Savvides

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Marilia Savvides

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Marilia Savvides

Marilia Savvides began her career in publishing at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, where she spent eight years, first as International Rights Agent, and later as Literary Agent, building her own list of authors. She joined 42MP in 2019, where she worked as Literary Agent for four years, helping to launch and set up the Book Division. Marilia founded The Plot Agency in 2024.

With her penchant for dark tales that weave together excellent characters, Marilia is "sincerely honoured" to judge the I Am Writing Horror category for our competitions this year and we are excited for her to find your impossible-to-put-down stories. At her agency, she is particularly drawn to amazing female-centric stories in the vein of Yellowjackets, and the kind of contemporary, accessible horror that Stephen King always nails. The what-ifs of life and fiction fascinate Marilia, and she wants to get lost in a world that feels within reach of our own. So if you've written anything like this, Marilia will be very excited to read it!

She loves nothing more than first reading fiction that is beautifully written and cleverly constructed, then helping her authors bring accessible horror to a wide readership. But as horror is a genre with psychological depth that can instil a shared fear in all of us, she is keen to dive in to your entries from the safety and comfort of her own home!

I Am Writing LITERARY/UPMARKET Competition

Judged by Maria Whelan, Literary Agent at Mushens Entertainment

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of Literary / Upmarket Fiction novel for adults. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Maria Whelan

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Maria Whelan

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Maria Whelan

After ten years working in publishing in New York, Maria Whelan moved to London, finding her literary home within Mushens Entertainment. She is building a list of authors who entertain while highlighting unique and unexpected truths about the human condition that are sometimes overlooked.

Maria thinks the annual I Am Writing competitions is a "great initiative and opportunity" and is keen to get stuck into your Literary/Upmarket Fiction entries! In terms of what you are writing, Maria is open to all sorts of novels that sit under the literary umbrella and favours stories with strong character arcs, exploring themes of a social or political nature with writing that is beautiful, over and above the story being told. This category is for you if your location behaves like a character in its own right; your story is madcap or fantastical; complex family relationships form a major part of the storytelling; or you are writing from a perspective we don't often see.

"Variety is the spice of life" is a mantra Maria likes to live by. She believes no book is the same and each author has their own unique story behind the story they are telling and she is very much looking forward to you sharing your story with her.

I Am Writing MIDDLE GRADE Competition

Judged by Camille Burns, Director and Literary Agent at Solas Literary Agency

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of Middle Grade novel. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Camille Burns

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Camille Burns

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Camille Burns

Founder and Literary Agent at boutique agency Solas, Camille Burns began her agenting career at Felicity Bryan Agency being moving to David Higham Associates and then, later, Diamond, Kahn and Woods. She now volunteers in a primary school through the charity Schoolreaders and set up Solas to shine a light on standout voices in commercial children's and adult fiction. Her focus is very much on building lasting author careers through strong editorial collaboration, strategic submissions, and a clear sense of market positioning. She has been a regular mentor for the Society of Young Publishers and for students on the UCL Publishing Masters, and previously served as secretary for the Association of Authors’ Agents as well as a founding member of the Bridge Committee for early-career agents and assistants.

Camille is "thrilled to have been asked" to judge our I Am Writing Middle Grade category and loves literary voices and stories in this genre with heart and warmth in abundance. Her favourite reads in this area are Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood and Co series, October, October by Katya Balen, and A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge but she is keen to judge widely for books aimed at the 8 to 12 year old market. She will be looking for captivating middle grade which invites the reader to take a journey through a contemporary or imagined world with characters that become their friends. A compelling voice is vital – how the narrator speaks to the child reader – be that chatty for the younger end of the readership or perhaps with a slightly sharper or even spookier edge for those approaching their teens. Your manuscript also needs a thrilling plot which is carefully constructed, and a quest for the protagonist who has much at stake.

If your book is ready to burst from its cupboard and reach middle grade readers everywhere, step through the portal door and 'Enter Now'!

I Am Writing NON-FICTION Competition

Judged by Sabhbh Curran, Literary Agent at Curtis Brown.

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of Non-Fiction book. A one-page synopsis/proposal is also required for memoir and all other non-fiction. For non-fiction (excluding memoir) a one-page chapter summary is also needed. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Sabhbh Curran

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Sabhbh Curran

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Sabhbh Curran

Sabhbh Curran joined Curtis Brown in 2018, after working as the Literary Assistant at Sheil Land Associates. Prior to that, she studied for a Masters in Renaissance literature at Cambridge. As an agent she hopes to work with her authors on many books for many years and loves being involved in a book from the first germ of an idea right through to publication and beyond, supporting her authors shaping their career. She was a Bookseller 'Rising Star' in 2025.

Sabhbh is "delighted" to be the first judge for our I Am Writing Non-Fiction category this year. She adores irresistible, immersive books across an extremely wide range of topics including history, travel, nature writing, arts, music, fashion, wellbeing, memoir, politics and popular culture. She hopes to see lots of entries from writers, academics, experts and journalists who have both unique expertise and the ability to bring their knowledge to a mass audience. Punchy feminist writing and thought-provoking revisionist histories are among styles which feature on Sabhbh's wishlist as is brilliant memoir in all its iterations, from the likes of Free by Lea Ypi to I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy.

If this non-fiction category sounds like the right fit for your transformative, well-researched piece, prepare your proposal with an overview of what you are writing and an idea of your intended audience before pitching your opening chapter sample for Sabhbh to enjoy.

I Am Writing PICTURE BOOKS Competition

Calling all budding writers who are passionate about picture books! Entrants are invited to submit up to two texts of no more than 600 words each, in prose or verse, that are perfect for sharing with children aged 3-6.

Please do not include illustration notes in your entry, unless you have a spread that has no text, or if your story does not make any sense without them. Then they can be included, but sparingly. The illustration notes do not count as part of the 600 words, neither does the title. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250, a one-to-one Zoom editorial consultation with the Little Tiger editorial team to discuss the winning submission plus a £50 book token

2nd Prize: Written editorial feedback and a £30 book token

3rd Prize: Written editorial feedback and a £20 book token

The team of commissioning editors at Little Tiger Press Ltd is very happy to partner with us again as our sponsor and judge for our fifth year of hosting the I Am Writing Picture Books category. Historically, this is our most-entered category so their team is fired up and ready to read your submissions as soon as the competition gates open!

Within this genre, Little Tiger loves books that equally honk, object, fizz and pop, nibble on leaves, are sweet as a daisy, are splatted by swamps, are brave as an animal kingdom, hunt a spotty warbler, stay up past bedtime, celebrate the joy of community, build beautiful sandcastles, want to find friends, show real teamwork, don't want to share, sparkle with Christmas magic, are filled with kind hearts, have tempting red buttons, battle with time, explore big emotions and are packed with belly laughs.

In terms of style Little Tiger love to read texts written in rhyme or in prose. And to them, your cast of characters is endless: penguins that fly, bears having tantrums, mushroom armies, a woodland orchestra, snarky sharks, queens of carnival, adoring stepparents, men with white beards, elephants who come for dinner and the best YOU! The question you really need to ask yourself next is which of your two best texts will you choose to enter!

I Am Writing ROMANCE Competition

Judged by Lauren Gardner, Literary Agent at Bell Lomax Moreton

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of YA, Crossover, NA or Adult romance novel. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required. YA is classed as being suitable for age 15- 18 year-olds and NA for 18 year-olds and readers in their early 20s for this competition.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Lauren Gardner

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Lauren Gardner

3rd Prize: A 15 minute consultation with Lauren Gardner

Lauren Gardner joined Bell Lomax Moreton in 2014 and is very proud of the thriving and talented list of fiction and non-fiction bestselling, prize-winning authors across the children's and adult markets she has built since then. In July 2020, Lauren was selected as one of The Bookseller’s ‘Rising Stars’ in their annual list of up and coming and future leaders within the industry.

Seeing the I Am Writing Romance category as "such a great opportunity", Lauren loves love in books and welcomes your entry, whatever sub-genre you have written: real world romance elevated by unusual circumstances; tropes such as forced proximity, lovers to enemies, second chance romance, and fake dating; a romantic comedy set in a college or university; destination romance; supernatural, smalltown/wholesome romance; YA/crossover; genre blends – sports romantasy, anyone?

Contemporary romance authors Lauren loves include Emily Henry, BK Borison, Elsie Silver, Lynn Painter, Beth Reekles, Lindsey Kelk, Ali Hazelwood, Meg Cabot, Jenny Colgan, Talia Hibbert, Bolu Babalola and Beth O’Leary.

Speculative and historical romance in the style of Rebecca Serle, Alice Hoffman, Sophie Irwin, Lucinda Riley, Julia Quinn, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Stacey Halls.

In Romantasy consider works alongside Deborah Harkness, Rebecca Ross, Ava Reid, Nadia El-Fassi, Sarah Pinborough, Olivia Atwater, and Jennifer Mandula as these are among Lauren's favourite reads. As an agent she is seeking strong, voice-driven narratives with female protagonists and is always drawn to romance forward stories that offer a gentle gateway into this fantasy genre, and feature grounded magic or worldbuilding, and morally grey (but never morally black) characters.

Above all, don't be afraid to make Lauren laugh/cry/swoon/all of these emotions at whatever love story you are entering.

I Am Writing SCI-FI / FANTASY Competition

Judged by Katie Blagden, Literary Agent at Th Ampersand Agency

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of YA or Adult Sci-Fi / Fantasy novel. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Katie Blagden

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Katie Blagden

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Katie Blagden

Katie Blagden is a Literary Agent at the Ampersand Agency. She represents authors in science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction and magical realism. Her previous experience includes marketing, bookselling and advertising, and she also appeared as a contributor on the Graham Norton Book Club for six seasons so, with her vast experience commenting on what's hot in the market, she is our top pick to be this year's I Am Writing Science Fiction/Fantasy judge.

Katie is very pleased to be heading up our SFF category this year. In all areas, Katie seeks commercial, plot-driven ideas with a great hook. She loves finding works that cross genre lines or subvert reader expectations. She adores Babel by R. F. Kuang; Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell; Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik; Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah; Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich; The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers; The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin; Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree; The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters; Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel by Susanna Clarke; The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey; One Last Stop by Casey Mcquiston; Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao; The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch; The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo; Kindred by Octavia E. Butler; Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin; all and anything by Terry Pratchett!

In essence, if any of the books named resonate with you, or you believe the world you have created will draw Katie in, transport your manuscript into this category at the speed of light!

I Am Writing TEEN / Young Adult / New Adult Competition

Judged by Alice Caprio, Literary Agent at PFD

Please submit the first 3,500 words of any type of Teen, Young Adult or New Adult novel. A one-page synopsis is also required. A covering letter is NOT required. Teen entries should be suitable for 13-14 year-olds, YA books for 15-18 year-olds and NA for 18 year-olds and readers in their early 20s.

1st Prize: £250 plus a 30 minute online consultation with Alice Caprio

2nd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Alice Caprio

3rd Prize: A 15 minute online consultation with Alice Caprio

We were overjoyed when Alice Caprio said she "would be delighted" to be our YA/NA/Teen judge! Her agenting experience coupled with five years working as a literary scout, mean Alice is very well-placed to seek out amazing stories for today's teenage market. As well as actively building her list at PFD, she sells foreign rights to areas of Europe, Asia and the Arabic market.

Your entry for this category can take any approach to engage this age group with page-turning fiction but a captivating hook and a strong emotional core are essential. Have you penned an action-packed adventure with humour? Is your entry a thriller that could be down-to-earth contemporary or a speculative premise? Do courtly intrigue or hard magic systems feature in your novel? Or is your book grounded scifi? Are your main characters a dysfunctional but underneath it all loving family? Have you written a lighter mystery that would appeal to a young adult audience? Or have you gone full teenage horror in all its gory? Is your book filled with unrequited teenage lust and enough angst to fill a classroom? Or is romantasy for a YA or crossover space where it's at for you?

If you have come at your writing with a teenage readership in mind, whether it's set in modern day or a future time, entering this popular category could be the best way to introduce it to a generation of discerning readers. You need commercial appeal, a unique concept exploring important, accessible topics in authentic ways, world-building with depth, and relatable characters that are rooted in your world. Draw your reader in with your distinctive premise and then layer the execution carefully to show Alice a story she will want to have a situationship with.

FAQS

Most frequent questions and answers:

How can I see the full entry guidelines for each competition?

Once the competitions open on 30 March 2026 and you click on the ‘Enter Now’ button you will be able to see the guidelines for each individual genre. You can also visit our Terms and Condtitions for further details.

What are the Terms and Conditions of the competitions?

You can also visit our Terms and Condtitions here.

Who can I contact if I have a question about the competition?

Please email us at: competitions@iaminprint.co.uk if you cannot find the answer to your question in the FAQs or Terms and Conditions.

When is the closing date for these competitions?

The competitions close on Thursday, 14 May 2026 at 1:00pm BST. Entries will NOT be accepted after this date and time. Please make sure you enter in plenty of time.

Can I enter if I am agented already?

Agented writers may only enter the Picture Book competition as this is not judged by an agent. All other competitions are judged by agents, so in the interest of fairness, the other competitions are restricted to unagented entrants. Please read the individual guidelines for each competition for more information.

Can I enter my work if it has been self-published?

Yes, self-published entries are accepted.

I don't live in the UK. Can I enter?

Yes, our competitions are open to international writers. All entries must be in English.

Should i include my name on my entry?

No. Do not include your name on your entry. The judging will be completed annonymously. Please refer to the individual guidelines of each competition for more information.

How much does it cost to enter each competition?

Each competition entry costs £16. See each individual competition for the rules on how many entries can be submitted per fee. A summary of what the fee covers is answered under the Question “Why is there a fee to enter the competitions?”. Please also see the sponsored entry section for details on who can enter at a 50% reduction or for free.

Can i enter more than one competition?

Yes, you can enter as many as you like!

There are three YA categories, for example, being judged by three different agents. If you think your novel fits Romance, Sci Fi/Fantasy and YA, you can enter the same sample text into all three competitions! Each entry will be charged separately.

You may have also authored different books. If, for example, you are writing two crime / thriller novels, you can include two extracts on two separately paid entries within that category.

And finally, if you are a multi-talented writer who is writing different stories for Picture Books, Middle Grade, and adult Historical fiction, you can choose to enter all three stories in the three different categories.

* Sponsored entries are limited to one free or discounted entry per individual so choose your best work to showcase.

(What we would advise against, is to submit the same book into the same category more than once – this does not increase your chances of success).

When deciding to enter more than one category, please enter and pay for each one separately as the system does not let you pay for multiple genres in the same transaction.

Does the word count need to be exactly 3,500 words?

No, it does not need to be exactly 3,500 words, but we would recommend getting as close as you can to the 3,500 words without going over or stopping in the middle of a sentence.

What are the important dates?

The competitions will open on Monday 30 March 2026 at 09:00am BST.

The competitions close on Thursday 14 May 2026 at 1:00pm BST.

The shortlists will be announced on Monday 8 June 2026 on the www.iaminprint.co.uk website and across our social media platforms.

The winners will be announced on Monday 22 June 2026 on the www.iaminprint.co.uk website and across our social media platforms.

When will the shortlist be announced?

The shortlists will be announced on Monday 8 June 2026 on the www.iaminprint.co.uk website and across our social media platforms.

When will the winners be announced?

The winners will be announced on Monday 22 June 2026 on the www.iaminprint.co.uk website and across our social media platform.

If I am shortlisted or win will my entry be published on the website?

No. We will only publish the shortlist / entry title, not the actual document.

Does the synopsis need to be double spaced or single spaced?

The one-page synopsis can be single line spaced. Your text, whether 2,000 words or 3,500 words should be double line spaced.

Can I include a prologue in my entry?

Yes, you can, but it must be counted within the 3,500 words. It cannot be additional to the specified word count.

Does the title of my manuscript count as part of the 3,500 words?

No. The title is not counted within the 2,000 / 3,500 words. It is also not counted within the 600 words for Picture Books.

Does my manuscript need to be complete?

No. Your manuscript does not need to be complete to enter, but you do need a one-page synopsis for some of the competitions. Please see the individual guidelines on each competition for more information.

Why is there a fee to enter the competitions?

The fee for each paying entry goes towards covering the numerous costs of running the competitions, some of which are detailed below:

Competition entry platform fees
VAT
Credit card / debit card processing fees
Prize Money
Advertising
Agent and administration fees
Technical support
Sponsoring a limited number of discounted and free entries for underrepresented or low income writers