The Northern Writers' Awards 2025 are open for entries!
New to writing, or already published? Fiction, narrative non-fiction or poetry? Wherever you are in your writing journey, if you're based in the North of England, you could win cash prizes, mentoring, career support and more.
Keep reading to see the range of awards that are open now – and look out for more awards opening at staggered dates throughout 2025.
The Awards
Northern Writers' Awards: the flagship awards offer cash prizes of up to £5000 to writers of fiction, narrative non-fiction, YA, short stories and poetry.
Northern Debut Awards: for writers of fiction, narrative non-fiction, YA, short stories and poetry yet to publish a full-length work. They will win a package of support including a £2000 bursary and mentoring.
Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award: worth £2000, for a writer of fiction, narrative non-fiction or poetry who is a final-year student or recent graduate of Northumbria University.
Young Northern Writers' Awards: recognise young writers aged 11-14 and 15-18 whose work shows exceptional promise. Each writer will be awarded £150.
Matthew Hale Award: open to young writers aged 11-18 who show promise but have had limited opportunities to pursue their talent. The winner will receive a package of support worth £500.
Eva Ibbotson Award: open to young writers aged 11-15 who are writing in English as an additional language. The winner will receive a package of support worth £500.
Deadline 6 February 2025
The Judges
Kit Fan
Fiction & Narrative Non-Fiction
Tice Cin
Fiction & Narrative Non-Fiction
Kathleen Jamie
Poetry
Sandra Sawicka
Young Writers & YA Fiction
Launch Roadshow
Tonight on Zoom, we're celebrating the launch of the 2025 Awards with previous winners Tawseef Khan, Amelia Loulli and Anna Zoe Quirke. Join us for free to find insight for emerging writers, get advice on entering the awards, and pose your questions to the panel.
Tuesday 26 November, 7-8pm, online
The Northern Writers' Awards are produced by New Writing North with support from Northumbria University and Arts Council England. The full suite of awards is made possible by a range of vital partnerships with Arvon, Bonafide Films, Channel 4, Curtis Brown, Hachette Children’s Group, Rollem Productions, Red Production Company, The Literary Consultancy, Newcastle University, The North Literary Agency, Oneworld Publications, The Society of Authors, ALCS, and the Michael Marks Charitable Trust as well as generous donations from individual donors including the Hale family, Andrew McMillan and Benjamin Myers.
