About the Open Call

The Edinburgh Novel Award seeks engaging novels on any topic or genre suitable for adult audiences, including literary, historic, crime, romance, contemporary, queer, and humour. Open to unagented writers worldwide, the competition accepts unfinished work and evaluates entries through multiple rounds involving expert readers and literary agents.

What is Offered

Prizes include £1,500 for first place, £500 for second, £250 for third, and two £100 commendations. Longlisted and shortlisted writers receive reviews from literary agents Donald Winchester and Julie Fergusson.

Requirements

Open to writers aged 16 and over worldwide who are not currently under contract with a literary agent. Submitted work must be original, unpublished, and not generated using artificial intelligence.

How to Apply

Entry is via Submittable at https://scottishartstrust.submittable.com/submit. Applicants must provide the first 5,000 words of their novel and a 300-word synopsis.