06 March 2025
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Let your curiosity loose and start exploring with those two little words… What if?
This imaginative international writing competition has proven to be a step towards publication many times. This is our 22nd year of the Yeovil Literary Prize and with five categories to enter we feel there is somewhere for all writers to share their work.
The Novel category is now a favourite, and by entering the opening of your novel – up to 10,000 words - including a synopsis of up to 500 words, the judges will certainly see how your work can develop into a publishable novel. Many past entrants’ now published books are sitting on my bookshelf. Our judge for 2025 is the book publishing specialist Alison Barrow.
Alison Barrow
The short story is a wonderful craft once mastered. Taking your reader into a setting, peopled by vivid characters facing a dilemma and ending with a satisfactory denouement is something special. Not all stories have happy ever after endings, but they should leave the reader with satisfaction or a surprize. To achieve that in up to 2000 words is an art. Have fun with this category. Our judge, Nikki May, is a past winner in our novel category and is now a published author of two best-selling novels.
Nikki May
Poetry is a succinct way of using words to show emotions, create atmospheres that take readers to a remembered time or place; revisit feelings, and offer opinions in the perfect way that is poetic. Every subject is covered and shared by poets. Our judge is a really accomplished poet, James Crowden.
James Crowden
Our Children’s/YA novel category is growing in popularity. A good children’s novel is a novel that all ages can enjoy. The opening 3,000 words with a synopsis which leaves the judges wanting more, is going to be a wonderful novel. Last year a winner was for a 3-year-old, another was of the highest standard of plot, setting, characters and a tease as to what can follow in the rest of the novel for a mature young adult. This is a fascinating category with a wonderful judge in Ele Fountain.
Ele Fountain
We also offer a category for writers of pieces that they are proud of, but they leave in a drawer not knowing what to do with their masterpiece. Our Writing Without Restriction category welcomes essays, long poems, memoirs, humorous recipes or texts; in fact, anything written and sitting waiting to come to light. Ideally the size of word count should be up to 1000, but we do not restrict in any way. We have a twice winner of the novel category with huge experience in creative writing as our judge. We welcome Sarah Hegarty to our Yeovil Literary Prize once again.
Sarah Hegarty
We offer opportunities for authors and poets to explore their imaginations and ask that wonderfully uninhibited question of… What If? Then they write and enter our competition in whatever genre, and category that suits their writing.
Writing can be a solitary passion or shared with a writing circle or a Creative Writers’ Group. So many writers gain support and guidance from others. Entering a competition and being longlisted can certainly boost the confidence of any writer. Enjoy your writing and see our website to enter the 2025 Yeovil Literary Prize at www.yeovilprize.co.uk
