When is the deadline for entries?

Your work must be submitted before 5pm (UK time) on Friday 26 February 2010. No entries will be accepted after that time.

How do I submit my entry?

Entering the Brit Writers' Awards is easy!

You just need to be registered as a full BWA member – there's a one-off admin fee of £10.95 (including VAT) for individuals wishing to enter their work, unless they are part of a BWA member school, business or community organisation (see below). Once you have become a full BWA member, you can submit as many entries as you like. Sign up now! 

How do I submit my entry if my company or community organisation is a BWA member?

If your community organisation or company is a BWA member, then we have good news for you: submitting your entries will cost you nothing – and you can submit as mnay as you like!

All you need to do is find out your organisation's unique BWA membership number and enter it when you sign up on the BWA website.

The person in charge of the BWA programme within your organisation will be able to give you the membership number.

How do I submit my entry if my school is a BWA member?

If your school is a BWA member, then a school-wide mini BWA competition may be organised for pupils well in advance of our December closing date. The best entries from your school will automatically progress to the shortlist of entries to be considered by our high-profile judges.

To find out more about your school's internal competition, you will need to speak to the person in charge of the BWA programme within your school.

Your school's BWA membership also entitles all staff and parents to submit as many entries as they like, completely free of charge. All you need to do to declare your association to the school is find out your school's unique BWA membership number and enter it when you sign up on the BWA website.

The person in charge of the BWA programme within your school will be able to give you the membership number.

Is there a charge for entering the competition?

If your school, business or community organisation is a BWA member, then you can enter the Brit Writers' Awards for free.

If you are entering as an individual, you will need to pay £10.95 (including VAT). This is a one-off admin charge and enables you to submit as many entries as you like.

Is there a limit to the number of pieces of work I can submit?

There is no limit. You can send us as many unique pieces of work as you like – for free if you are part of a BWA member school, business or community organisation, or for a one-off admin fee of £10.95 (including VAT) if you are entering as an individual. But no repeat uploads please!

Please note that if you are entering work with the poetry category, you must submit a collection of poems – five poems if you are an adult or three if you are a young person.

What if I've submitted my entry but need to go back and edit it?

Please give yourself plenty of time to read, proofread and edit your piece – and don't submit anything until you're completely happy with it to help to avoid this situation.

We have introduced a secure admin page, which will enable you to access and delete any entry that you have previously submitted and to upload a replacement – as long as it is before the entry deadline of 26 February 2010. You can access this section by clicking on My Account in the top right hand corner of the screen.

Please note that if you decide not to upload a replacement or edited entry, your one-off admin fee will not be refunded.

How do I write my novel synopsis?

We know many authors hate writing synopses for their novels! To make life easier, we've written a clear and friendly guide to show you what our judges expect from you.

To access the guide, make sure you are signed in to the Brit Writers website. Then you can download the guide here (a PDF will open in a new window) or find it on our page of writing tips.




Can I enter the competition if I have self-published a novel?

Yes. If you are a self-published author, simply follow the usual rules for the competition and also send two copies of your published manuscript to:

Brit Writers
Self-Published Entries
67 Lombard Street
Birmingham B12 0QU



What's the Diverse Unpublished Writer of the Year award?

Here at the BWA, we recognise that people from black, minority and ethnic (BME) groups in the UK are still not proportionately represented in the publishing industry – and we want to help redress that balance.

The Diverse Unpublished Writer of the Year award spans all the awards categories and will be awarded to the writer (from a BME group) whom judges consider to show the greatest potential; so it is not a category that you can enter your work into.

If you would like to be considered for this prize, you will need to 'opt in' to it when you enter your work, by ticking the box to say you are from a BME group.

I notice there's a category for published writers. How do I enter it?

Entries for the Published Writer of the Year award can only be made by publishers. If you are a published writer or a literary agent, you should encourage your publisher to act on your behalf.

The Published Writer of the Year award will only be awarded to the writers of novels printed by established publishing houses. No self-published work may be submitted.

To nominate work to be considered in this category, publishers must submit novels from three different authors. They must be in English and have been published within the last 24 months. For more information about the entry process and judging, please see our Judging criteria for entries. 

Can I submit illustrations with my entry?

You may only submit illustrations with your work if you have written a children's story based around illustrations; where pictures are required in order to understand the story. Alternatively, a description of the illustrations can be given alongside your story.

It is worth remembering that the Brit Writers judges will be judging your writing and not your illustrations, so we don't recommend submitting work which relies heavily on pictures.

Do I retain copyright?

Yes, you retain copyright of your work but, in submitting your entry, you give permission for the BWA to publicise and promote your work if appropriate.

If I've had a novel published, can I enter the songwriting category?

Sorry, no. The Brit Writers' Awards aim to give completely unpublished writers and self-published authors a chance to shine – whether they're songwriters, novelists or poets (or all three!).

If your book was published within the last 24 months, you may wish to ask your publisher to nominate you for the Published Writer of the Year category.



I'm under 16. Can I enter categories other than songwriting, poems or short stories?

Sorry, no. This year, under-16s can only enter those three categories.



Can I enter the same story into two different categories? For example, the novel and children's story categories?

Yes - you can enter the same piece into different categories if relevant.



Is there a word limit for children's stories?

No, there is not a word limit for this category.



If my children's story is the length of a novel, do I need to submit a synopsis and sample chapters?

Yes, if the story is the length of a novel then you need to follow the same entry instructions as for novels (that is, you need to submit a synopsis and three sample chapters).

To access our guide to writing a synopsis, make sure you are signed in to the Brit Writers website. Then you can download the guide here (a PDF will open in a new window) or find it on our page of writing tips.


What constitutes a children's story - does it need to be aimed at a specific age group?

Children's stories are aimed at readers who are under 16.



What type of entry does the non-fiction category include and what are the word limits for different non-fiction pieces?

The non-fiction category is wide ranging and includes journalism, academic reports, theses, memoirs and biographies. If the document is more than 5,000 words long then three sample chapters/sections or approximately 10 per cent of the manuscipt (whichever is greater) are required - as well as a synopsis.

Find the answers to other frequently asked questions