Welcome to the Northern Writers’ Awards 

Established in 2000 by New Writing North, the Northern Writers’ Awards are the North’s premiere talent development engine for writers. The awards support new, emerging and established authors to develop their work towards publication and to progress their careers as writers. The awards support writers of poetry, and all genres of fiction and children’s fiction.

With high profile literary judges and support from across the publishing industry, the awards are now recognised nationally as a programme that identifies and supports great writing and writers.

Over the last 12 years the awards have been open to writers in the north east of England and have supported over 120 writers, most of whom have gone on to publish their work. From autumn 2012 the awards open up to writers across the whole of the north of England and carry an increased prize pot of over £40,000.

The Northern Writers’ Awards encompass a wide range of opportunities for writers, including cash awards, bursaries, unique courses and residential experiences, editorial support and an international residency.

The Northern Writers’ Awards are supported by Northumbria University who have invested £60,000 in the awards over the next two years and by Arts Council England, who support New Writing North as a National Portfolio Organisation. They are also supported by Potts Print, The Poetry School, The Literary Consultancy, The Hunter Writers Centre, and Arvon. You can read more about our donors and partners here.

We’re aiming to grow the Northern Writers’ Awards over the next two years. If you’d like to help us offer more to writers and would like to contribute to supporting northern talent you can do so here. You can support the project as an individual or as a business.

Submission to the awards is made online. This website is now open for submissions will and stay open until the deadline for submissions on Thursday 31 January 2013. 

Our partners