How to enter

• The 2025 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize is open to women and non-binary writers, aged 18 or over (at the time of applying), who are currently living in the UK or Ireland.

•  You must not have agent representation at the time of entering the competition (for any genre). If you have had an agent in the past you are still eligible to enter. 

• If you accept agent representation after your submission and before the judging is complete, you will no longer be eligible to take part in the competition and your entry will be discounted. If you accept agent representation, please inform Grace Russell (fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk) regarding this.

• You must be an unpublished writer.

  • If you have previously published specialist/academic non-fiction and/or poetry, you are still eligible to enter your novel.

  • If you have had work published in magazines/online collections, you are still eligible for entry as long as the work you are submitting is new.

  • If you have had work published in an anthology, you are still eligible to enter the competition, as long as the work you are entering is entirely new.

  • If you have self-published a previous novel, you are eligible to enter the competition. However, the novel you are entering is not eligible if it has been self-published, in any way.

  • If you have had a short story published a you are still eligible to enter (remember, short stories are not eligible for submission)

• Authors must not have previously published a fiction novel in any genre

• We welcome submissions of literary fiction and genre fiction equally. 

• Novels for young adults or children (middle grade or above) are acceptable if they are mainly word-based.

• Picture books, jointly authored novels and short stories are not eligible for submission.

• The entry fee is £12

• The prize will close at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday 31st January. No entries will be accepted after this time. We advise against waiting until the last day to submit, as we may not be able to assist with any issues due to high email volumes.

• Only one entry per person is permitted for the 2025 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize.

• No current staff member, Fellow or current full-time student of Lucy Cavendish College can enter the competition.

• Shortlisted authors and the winning author will be expected to participate in promotional activities throughout the year.

• Any entrant found to be in contravention of any of the terms and conditions will be automatically disqualified.

• Once you have submitted your work, we cannot refund the submission fee for any reason. If you would like to withdraw your work from being considered, please email fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk.

• The judges’ decision will be final.

• The winner will be announced at our prize ceremony on the 15th May 2025 to which the winner and shortlisted writers will be invited. The winner will receive £1,500.

• The novel should be your own original work and not written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.

• If the prize has helped you we would love to be mentioned in your Acknowledgements. 

​NB: Due to the volume of entries received it is not possible for the judges to provide feedback on non-longlisted and non-shortlisted entries.

Enter the 2025 Fiction Prize here

 

Please follow these instructions carefully to submit your application:

Initial Submission:

• Submit the first 10 pages of your novel 
• Following the first 10 pages of your novel, include a one-paragraph pitch on page 11 and a one-page synopsis on page 12. You can add subheadings to your synopsis and pitch so it is clear to our judges. 
• Please do not include your name or contact details on any submitted pages.
• Combine all the above into one PDF attachment ready to submit. (We do not accept submissions in Word. It must be converted to a PDF and no longer than 12 pages in total.) 

Your one paragraph pitch should read like the blurb on the back of a book, it shouldn't describe the entire plot (that is what your synopsis is for). Keep it brief, focusing on the key points and drawing out what makes your book original and fresh! 

Naming the PDF Attachment ready for uploading:

• Title your PDF file in the following format:
• Initial_Surname_Title_of_Novel
• Example: If your name is Grace Russell and your novel is titled "The Hairy Green Monster," name your PDF file as G_Russell_The_Hairy_Green_Monster
• Your uploaded PDF must be saved in this format for it to be accepted 

If Longlisted:

• You will be asked to submit an additional 40 pages. 
• Ensure you have the first 50 pages of your novel ready when you enter, so you can promptly submit the additional pages if requested.
• If you do not submit the additional 40 pages by the deadline given, you will be removed from the competition
• Please monitor your emails during the week of March 31st to avoid missing the deadline if you are longlisted.

Blind Judging:

• To ensure anonymity, please do not include your name or contact details on any submitted pages.

Formatting Requirements:

We do not give a word count but we do ask for the following:

• Document size: A4
• Format: PDF
• Text colour: Black
• Background colour: White
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Font: 12-point, using either Calibri or Times New Roman
• Page numbering: Ensure all pages are numbered with no more than 10 pages of your novel.

 

The winner will be announced at our prize ceremony on the 15th May 2025 to which the winner and shortlisted writers will be invited. The winner will receive £1,500.

Enter the 2025 Fiction Prize here

Don’t forget to follow us on our socials and check your emails for the latest updates!

Thanks to the generosity of our friends and supporters, we are able to offer a percentage of sponsored entries for low-income writers who may otherwise be unable to afford the entry fees.

To apply, please select the ‘Sponsored Entry’ option under Entry Type in our online entry form.

Applicants must provide proof of financial eligibility, such as:

• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Disability Benefit
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Proof of being a full-time student
• Housing Benefit
• Proof of being a full-time carer

This proof must be uploaded under the 'Sponsored Entry - Proof of Financial' section.

Once your evidence has been submitted and approved, sponsored entries will be awarded at random. The deadline to apply for a sponsored entry is Monday, 27th January. You will be contacted on that day to confirm whether your entry has been sponsored. If your application is not randomly selected for sponsorship, you will still have the opportunity to resubmit your entry as a paid entry before the final closing date on Friday31st January.

All details will be kept confidential.

Interested in sponsoring a low-income writer?

If you would like to sponsor a low-income writer, or have any other queries, please email: fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk

Enter the 2025 Fiction Prize here

Q. I entered this competition last year but I have reworked my novel, can I submit it for the 2025 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize?

A. We will not consider repeated entries but you are more than welcome to submit a reworked or brand new novel.

Q. My piece is a short story. Can I enter it?

A. No, this competition is not open to short stories.

Q. Can I submit more than one entry?

A. No. It is one entry per person only.

Q. I only have a working title at the moment. Does this matter?

A. No. The title helps with the administration. If you reach the later stages of the competition you will have the opportunity to amend the title if you want to.

Q. What happens if I accidentally leave my name on the submission?

A. Please get in touch - email: fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk.

Q. I can’t get my payment to go through/ I don’t get redirected to PayPal to make my payment- what can I do?

A. Please get in touch - email: fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk.

Q. I don’t have a PayPal account. What should I do?

A. No problem, you can pay via PayPal without having a PayPal account, simply follow the instructions.

Q. I don’t have a card to use for online payment. Can I pay the entry fee another way?

A. Yes – it is possible to pay via bank transfer. Please send a short email to fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk and we’ll send you the necessary payment information. Please note that the entry fee must be received BEFORE the deadline, for the entry to be considered, so please allow time for your payment to be received and clear.

Q. I am using a card with a different name to pay my entry fee, how will you link the payment to my entry? 

A. The submissions received via the online system are given an ID number and this shows on the payment too (if made via the PayPal page) so there is no problem.

Q. I write under a pen name, can I include this in my entry? 

A. If you are longlisted, please inform us at this point what your pen name is. 

Q. I have written a textbook/ children’s picture book/ short story/ poem/ memoir which has been published. Am I eligible to enter  my debut novel for this competition?

A. Yes.

Q. I am British but I’m currently living overseas, can I enter?

A. No. To be eligible to enter you need to be living in the UK or Ireland (nationality is not relevant).

Q. I have published chapters of my novel on my blog/website/self-published. Can I still enter? 

A. No, the novel you are submitting must not have been published/self-published previously. If you have only self-published, you are welcome to submit a different novel.

Q. I have published an entire book on my website/blog/self-published via Amazon etc – however this is a different novel. Can I enter this different novel into the competition?

A. Yes, as long as it’s different to the one you have self-published.

Q. I have submitted my novel to another competition. Can I enter it for the Lucy Cavendish Prize too?

A. Yes. (Even if you have won another competition with the same novel, as long as it remains unpublished online or in print and you do not have agent representation)

Q. I can’t upload PDF files. Can I send Word documents (.doc or .docx) instead?

A. PDF files are preferred, if possible. Please ensure your PDF attachment is titled in the correct format. Clear instructions are in the how to apply section. 

Q. What font, font size and spacing do you require?

A. Please use Calibri or Times New Roman in font size 12 and line spacing of 1.5.

Q. Is there a word limit for my submission?

A. No, we do not have a word limit but instead require the first 10 pages of your novel alongside a 1 paragraph pitch and 1-page synopsis. In total your submission should be 12 pages. 

Q. Can my synopsis include spoilers?

A. Yes.

Q. My files are too big or the file title too long for the online submission. What can I do? 

A. Please send an email to fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk.

Q. I haven’t finished writing my novel. Can I still enter?

A. Yes– you need only have completed the first 50 pages to enter.

Q. Is there a maximum or minimum number of words?

A. No (but remember short stories are not eligible for this competition).

Q. How do you select the sponsored entries?

A. Sponsored entries are selected completely at random. 

Q. I have a question not covered in this list. What should I do?

A. Please get in touch - email: fictionprize@lucy.cam.ac.uk.