Deadline: August 22, 2022
Entry fee: £14
About the competition
Searchlight Writing for Children Awards is an international competition for aspiring authors writing for children or young adults.
The top 10 stories will feature in the Winners’ Collection, which is sent to publishers and literary agents, and will also be published in an annual printed anthology.
Competition guidelines
- Your story must be suitable for a reader aged between seven and eighteen.
- Your submission must not exceed the 1,200 word limit, not including the title. There is no minimum word count.
- Your story should be double-spaced, a size 12 font, and submitted as a doc, docx or PDF file.
- Begin your story with the title. Please don’t include any other identifying information on the file, such as your name, as stories are read blind.
- Entries need to be in English.
- Multiple entries are permitted. However, we require a separate entry form and a new payment each time.
- Stories cannot be altered after they are submitted. Refunds are not given if a story is withdrawn.
- Entrants must be 16 years and over.
- Stories must be previously unpublished as whole books. However, self-published novels are eligible.
- Entries from authors worldwide are welcome.
- Entries must be the work of the entrant.
- While entrants retain full copyright, by entering the Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2022 competition you give permission, if shortlisted, for us to publish your name, photograph, biography and the title of your winning story on the Searchlight Awards’ website.
- By entering the Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2022 competition you give permission, if shortlisted, for us to publish a short extract of your story on our website, the full novel opening in our annual printed Anthology (publication date: 2023) and the Winners’ Collection, which will be sent to UK literary agents and publishers. If you do not wish to have your story published you may choose to opt-out on the entry form.
- The decision of the readers and judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging. We are unable to provide individual feedback.
- The competition organisers have the right to change the judge.
- Results will be posted on the Searchlight Awards’ website and winners will be emailed on 27th January 2023.
- By entering the Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2022 competition, entrants agree to these rules.
- Enter the contest here.
