Writing for children competitions: Searchlight Writing for Children Awards 2023

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31 May 2023
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Entries are invited for the Best Novel Opening for Children and Young Adults and Best Picture Book Text

The Searchlight Writing for Children Awards is an international competition with a mission to support and champion aspiring writers for children. In addition to cash prizes, winning and shortlisted entries are featured in a Pitch Book, which is sent out to literary agents and publishers.

Entries are currently invited for:

• Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2023. The first prize is £1,000. Send the first 1,200 words of a novel for readers aged seven to 18. Manuscripts don't need to have been completed. The judge is Silvia Molteni of PFD Literary Agents. The entry fee is £14.

• Best Picture Book Text 2023. The first prize is £500. Enter the text of a story, no longer than 500 words, suitable for a young child. The judge is Becky Bagnell of Lindsay Literary Agency. The entry fee is £9.

The closing date for both these Awards is 31 August.

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For full details see the website.

 

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