CREATIVE WRITING MATTERS
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • CreativeWritingMatters Guides
    • Mentoring
    • Manuscript Appraisal
  • Competitions
    • Our Winners
    • 2024 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2023 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2023 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2022 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2022 Exeter Story Prize & Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2022 ESP & Trisha Ashley Award Winners
    • 2021 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2021 ENPrize Judge's report
    • 2021 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2021 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2020 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2020 ENPrize Judge's Report
    • 2020 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2020 Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2019 ENP Judge's Report
    • 2019 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2019 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2109 Flash Winners
    • 2018 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2018 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2108 ESP Winning stories
    • 2018 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2018 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2017 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2016 Exeter Novel Prize Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2016 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2015 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's reports
    • 2015 ESP, Award Ceremony and Judges' Report
    • 2014 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2013 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2017 Flash Winners
    • 2016 Flash Winners
    • 2015 Flash Winners
    • 2014 Flash winners
    • 2013 Flash Winners
    • 2012 Flash Winners
    • 2011 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Wow! Winners
    • 2016 Wow! Winners
    • 2015 Wow! Winners
    • 2014 Wow! Winners
  • About us
    • Sophie Duffy
    • Cathie Hartigan
    • Margaret James
    • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Privacy Policy

The 2024 Exeter Novel Prize 

We accept the first ten thousand words including synopsis of a novel that has not been accepted for publication by a traditional publishing house. It is open to all authors who are without representation by a literary agent at the closing date, whether or not they have previously been published. ​​Our thanks to Hellie Ogden, head of the book dept at WME Agency's London office, who will chose the short list and winner for the 2024 competition.

Winner - Last Castle Standing by Nida Broughton

Short List
​A View of the Open Sky – Elisa Oh
​Bahadur is my Name – Loftus Brown
​Last Castle Standing – Nida Broughton 
​The Alchemy of Light – Lenore Hart
​The King's Wife – Lauren Neely
The Revenge of Hepsibah Brown – Beth Webb

Judge Hellie Ogden's comments:

​A View of the Open Sky – Elisa Oh
Epistolary novels can be so hard but this whip-smart female lead delights readers with wit and charm. It is ultimately a story of love and hope carefully threaded into London’s criminal underbelly.  

​Bahadur is my Name – Loftus Brown
Bahadur is my Name introduces us to characters you won’t easily forget, set on paths filled with danger that could rival any thriller out there. But the heart in this novel is what sets it apart and stays with you,

​Last Castle Standing – Nida Broughton - winner
This tale deftly weaves comedy and history to tell the story of Margaret, wife, stepmother and above all, a Lady, who tries to hold her family together despite England being on the brink of civil war and her husband inadvertently becoming a major player. This portrait of a family falling apart at the seams is tender and hilarious and resonates with anyone who has ever desperately held onto their sense of self and the ones they love. 

​The Alchemy of Light – Lenore Hart
This story is eerie and compelling, pulling you into its web of mystery and making you ask ‘who are the monsters’?

​The King's Wife – Lauren Neely
Secrets, power and conspiracies are at play in this novel that casts a lens on women and the power they hold no matter what their position is in society. It weaves together history, opulence and the strength of women when they come together.

The Revenge of Hepsibah Brown – Beth Webb
A mysterious old manor house is the perfect setting for our young protagonist to unravel a hidden plot that threatens to end her life. This Victorian mystery promises mystery and action all tied up in a very dangerous game.


​First prize - £1000 plus trophy
​Five finalists receive £100 and a paperweight

​The competition is generously supported by Exeter Writers
Appraisals
These have all been sent out now. If you paid the extra fee for an appraisal but have not received yours, please get in touch.
Picture
Long List 
​A View of the Open Sky – Elisa Oh
An Inquest of Eels – Jane Bitomsky (withdrawn)
Bahadur is my Name – Loftus Brown
Changed - Stephanie Simpson McLellan
Headland House – Abby Williams
Hew & Omari – Taize Jackson
I, said the Sparrow – Sally Bromley
Last Castle Standing – Nida Broughton
Lightfoot and Mole – Rachel Kenefick
Mascara Nights – Cate Sweeney
Men Would Kill for This – Sheena MJ Cook (withdrawn)
Mulberry Court – Kate Lee
Nighthawks – Angela Jobson
Not a Word – Sally Sheridan
Red Rubicon – Kim Botly
Scavenger – Graham Hobbs
The Alchemy of Light – Lenore Hart
The Cygnet – Elizabeth Anna Whyatt
The Family in Room 32 – Fiona Mitchell
The King's Wife – Lauren Neely
The Nighthawks – Melanie Wood
The Other Boy – Colleen  Prendergast
The Palace of Deceptions – Christine Michael
The Return of Freddie Watson – Aileen Izett
​The Revenge of Hepsibah Brown – Beth Webb
The Three Arrows – Tamako Takamatsu
Time to Leave - Elaine Maguire O'Connor
Water Damage – Rebecca Saire
​You / I – John Tovey

APPRAISALS - for an extra fee, we will write a one-page appraisal of your submission. These have proved very popular in the past. Here are some of the responses from last year:
  • Thank you so much for this report, incredibly motivating, helpful and insightful, I’m already actioning the suggestions - Laura Bellingham
  • Many thanks to your team and especially to Margaret James for her thoughtful—and very helpful—response to my entry. Among the several contests I’ve entered, and the several queries I’ve already sent out, I haven’t yet received a response as thorough and intelligent as hers - Gregory Bayer
  • Many thanks for your constructive feedback. This was my first children's novel, and I am so pleased to read what worked and how to improve it - Margaret Magee
RULES
1.     The 2024 Exeter Novel Prize is open for submissions until 11.59pm on January 1st 2025, which is without exception the closing date. Any entries received after this date will be disqualified and no refund of the entry fee will be made.
2.    The competition is open to everyone, living anywhere in the world, published, self-published or yet to be published, who is not represented by a literary agent. All those long-listed will be asked if they are still eligible to go forward.
3.    Entries should take the form of the opening of your novel (not a random selection of scenes) and must not exceed a total of ten thousand words, which includes a synopsis of not more than five hundred words. Any entries received without a synopsis will be disqualified. Entries must be the author’s own work. The novel does not have to be complete. Self-published novels are acceptable.
4.    You may enter more than one novel, but each entry must be emailed separately and must be accompanied by a separate entry fee. 
5.    All genres including children’s of Middle Grade (9-12), Young Adult and New Adult are acceptable. 
6.    Your name should not appear anywhere on the attachment. The attachment should have the same name as the title of your novel as it appears in the subject line of your email (minus ENP, see How to Enter).  Only doc, docx, rtf and pdf files will be accepted. Any other formats will be disqualified. Please present your work in 12pt Times New Roman or Arial, 1.5 or double-spaced. ​
7.    Entries must be in English.
8.    Entrants must be over 18 years of age.
9.    Entry must be made electronically and the fee paid via Paypal. The prize monies will be awarded via Paypal. The receipt issued by Paypal on payment of the entry fee is your receipt of entry. All Paypal receipts are matched with submissions and if we receive one without the other we will contact you. See How to Enter below. If you do not already have a Paypal account, please visit www.paypal.com for details.
10. Literary agent, Hellie Ogden from WME Agency will be the final judge. Although the organisers hope the winning entrant will achieve publication, no guarantee of agent representation or publication can be given.
11.   The decision of the judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into. ​
HOW TO ENTER
1 - Please read all the rules before you proceed. We don't want to disqualify anyone.
2 - In the subject line of your email, type ENP followed by the title of your novel.
3 - In the body of the email type your name, contact details (postal address and mobile and/or landline number) and the title of your novel. If payment is made using a different name, it is essential you include that name in the email you send with the novel.
4 - Attach your novel and synopsis (as one document) in one of the formats set out in Rule 6. Your name and contact details must not appear anywhere on the attachment. Email to [email protected] 
5 - Click on the appropriate Paypal button below and pay the fee.
Exeter Novel Prize entry fee - £20
Entry fee including appraisal - £150


  • Home
  • What We Do
    • CreativeWritingMatters Guides
    • Mentoring
    • Manuscript Appraisal
  • Competitions
    • Our Winners
    • 2024 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2023 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2023 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2022 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2022 Exeter Story Prize & Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2022 ESP & Trisha Ashley Award Winners
    • 2021 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2021 ENPrize Judge's report
    • 2021 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2021 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2020 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2020 ENPrize Judge's Report
    • 2020 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2020 Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2019 ENP Judge's Report
    • 2019 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2019 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2109 Flash Winners
    • 2018 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2018 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2108 ESP Winning stories
    • 2018 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2018 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2017 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2016 Exeter Novel Prize Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2016 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2015 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's reports
    • 2015 ESP, Award Ceremony and Judges' Report
    • 2014 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2013 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2017 Flash Winners
    • 2016 Flash Winners
    • 2015 Flash Winners
    • 2014 Flash winners
    • 2013 Flash Winners
    • 2012 Flash Winners
    • 2011 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Wow! Winners
    • 2016 Wow! Winners
    • 2015 Wow! Winners
    • 2014 Wow! Winners
  • About us
    • Sophie Duffy
    • Cathie Hartigan
    • Margaret James
    • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Privacy Policy