Guest Judges
Nancy Campbell
Nancy Campbell is a poet whose delight in the radical potential of the book form has led to many innovative projects with small press publishers including essence press (Scotland) and Incline Press (England) and collaborations with book artists Sarah Bodman (UK) and Roni Gross (USA). Her first poetry collection, Disko Bay (Enitharmon, 2015) written during a research residency on climate crisis at Upernavik Museum in Greenland in 2010, led Carol Ann Duffy to describe her work as “deft, dangerous and dazzling.”
Nancy's decade-long hybrid creative response to the Earth's glacial regions was awarded the Royal Geographical Society Ness Award for environmental writing in 2020. As Canal Laureate (a project managed by The Poetry Society and the Canal & River Trust) Nancy's texts were installed along the UK's waterways where they could be seen projected on wharves at night and stencilled on towpaths; they are collected with other poems of place in the pamphlet Navigations (HappenStance, 2020). Her latest work considers queerness and the body, both in the prose poems of Uneasy Pieces (Guillemot Press, 2022) and the journal form in Thunderstone (Elliott & Thompson, 2022), a memoir of health and housing precarity, which won the 2023 TLS Ackerley Prize for biography. Horatio Clare describes the book as ‘a modern classic’ (The Week). Nancy has held numerous international research residencies, most recently as Visiting Professor of Literature at the Free University of Berlin. www.nancycampbell.co.uk
Irenosen Okojie
Irenosen Okojie is a Nigerian British author whose work pushes the boundaries of form, language and ideas. Her novel, Butterfly Fish, and short story collections, Speak Gigantular and Nudibranch, have won and been nominated for multiple awards. Her journalism has been featured in The New York Times, the Observer, the Guardian and the Huffington Post. She is a Contributing Editor for The White Review as well as And Other Stories. She co-presented the BBC's Turn Up for The Books podcast, alongside Simon Savidge and Bastille frontman Dan Smith. Her work has been optioned for the screen. She has also judged various literary prizes including the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Gordon Burn Prize, the BBC National Short Story Award and the Dublin Literary Award. She was a judge for the 2023 Women's Prize for Fiction. Formerly the Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature, she was awarded an MBE For Services to Literature in 2021. She is the director and founder of Black to the Future festival. Her new novel Curandera is published by Dialogue Books.
Kieran Yates
Kieran Yates is a London-based journalist, broadcaster and editor who writes about culture, technology and politics. She’s written everywhere from the Guardian, FADER, VICE, The Independent and beyond, had an acclaimed monthly column at VICE titled ‘British Values’, was nominated for Culture Writer of the Year in 2016 and regularly hosts events and panels discussing issues across music, politics, and news. Kieran contributed to the award-winning book of essays The Good Immigrant in 2017, where she wrote about ‘Going Home’. In 2015 she started a fanzine called ‘British Values’, a political satire and culture magazine that celebrates immigrant communities in the UK. She is the co-author of Generation Vexed: What the English Riots Didn’t Tell Us About Your Nation’s Youth published by Random House in 2011, and was part of the Guardian’s ‘My Favourite Album’ eBook in 2011 Kieran’s debut book about home and the housing crisis, All The Houses I’ve Lived In, was published in May 2023 by Simon & Schuster.
Prize Partner Judges
Beth Brambling is a writer based in Newcastle upon Tyne. In her role as the Online Manager at Faber Academy she curates the programme of online courses, working with writers to create world-class learning experiences for students working at all levels. She is passionate about fostering worldwide writing communities and widening access to publishing and the arts.
Jack Hadley is Senior Courses Manager at Curtis Brown Creative. He worked as a reader and researcher at film/TV production company The Imaginarium Studios in Ealing, before joining the CBC team in September 2016.
Aki Schilz is the Director of The Literary Consultancy, the UK’s longest-running editorial consultancy. She is a judge for the Bridport First Novel Award and sits on its steering committee. She is also a prize-winning writer of poetry and fiction, and co-founder of the Saboteur Award-shortlisted #LossLit digital literature project. In 2018 Aki was named as one of the FutureBook 40 (a list of the top 40 innovators in UK publishing), and nominated for an h100 Award for her #BookJobTransparency campaign and her work to improve representation and accessibility in the literature sector. She is also the founder of the Rebecca Swift Foundation, in memory of TLC’s founder and her boss and mentor. In 2019 Aki was shortlisted for the Kim Scott-Walwyn Prize.
Shortlist Judges
Creative Non-Fiction: Bethany Handley is an award-winning writer, poet and disability activist. She campaigns for Disabled people’s rights and for better access to nature for all, especially for Disabled people. Her work has been published by POETRY, Poetry Wales and Country Living, and featured by the Poetry Foundation, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Wales, amongst others. Bethany was one of the writers on Literature Wales’ Representing Wales 2023-4 and she was awarded Creative Future’s Gold Prize for Creative Non-fiction 2023. Bethany is an Ambassador for Country Living’s Access for All campaign, Ramblers Cymru and Wales Coast Path. She is co-editing the first bilingual anthology of Welsh Deaf and Disabled writers which will be published by Lucent Dreaming in January 2025 and her debut poetry pamphlet will be published by Seren in February 2025. She is currently working on her debut non-fiction book on access to nature.
Fiction: Iqbal Hussain’s debut novel, Northern Boy, was published in 2024 by Unbound Firsts. His short stories have won Gold Fiction in the Creative Future Writers’ Award, first prize in Writing magazine’s Grand Flash competition 2023 and also the 2023 Fowey Festival of Art and Literature. His stories appear in various anthologies and on sites including The Hopper, caughtbytheriver and The Willowherb Review. Iqbal was also a recipient of the inaugural London Writers’ Awards 2018.
Poetry: Oluwaseun (Seun) Olayiwola is a poet, critic, choreographer and performer based in London. He has been published by The Guardian, The Poetry Review, the Telegraph, the Times Literary Supplement and elsewhere. His debut collection is forthcoming from Fitzcarraldo Editions (UK) and Soft Skull Press (US).
Prize Partners
Salma Begum is an Agent at Greyhound Literary. She spent four years working as an Editor in mainstream publishing. Prior to that, she helped set up The Good Literary Agency, a social enterprise focused on launching the careers of under-represented writers. Salma is also a Trustee for Creative Future and Literature Works.
Booksmiths are Alex Hourston and Rebecca Whitney, two friends and authors who run creative writing workshops, as well as offer mentoring and editorial guidance at every stage of the writing process. Between them, they have published four novels, have two more in the pipeline, and also write short-form memoir on Substack. 2025 sees the continuation of their writer's workshops at Brighton’s Soho House, with more workshops at Platf9rm in the pipeline. They have a passion for new writing and are committed to championing underrepresented voices.
Curtis Brown Creative run writing courses in London and online. It is the only writing school to be owned and run by a major literary and talent agency. Over 180 students have become commercially published authors, including Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist), Jane Harper (The Dry), Nicholas Searle (The Good Liar), Kirsty Capes (Careless) and Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry). They frequently run free courses, scholarships and mentoring for under-represented writers through their Breakthrough Writers’ Programme.
Faber Academy provides writing courses (in London, Newcastle and online), manuscript assessments and mentoring programmes across a wide range of disciplines including fiction, poetry and memoir. We ran our first course in 2008, and since then have gone on to see our alumni secure major publication deals, win awards and begin their writing careers. Our tutors, mentors and manuscript readers are celebrated, professional authors and editors, and our courses are designed with the help of pedagogical experts—but first and foremost, Faber Academy is a place for people who are passionate about writing to work together.
Clara Foster is a literary agent at Aevitas Creative Management, with previous experience across publishing in organisations such as HarperCollins, Creative Media Agency, and most recently The Blair Partnership. She decided to become an agent after seeing first-hand what the relationships between authors and publishers can look like without an agent in the mix, and is particularly keen to find and form partnerships with emerging talent—working from the ground up. Some of her favourite books include Luster by Raven Leilani, A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, and Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell.
Jericho Writers are a global writing community who offer everything you need to write, edit and get your book published. From tutored video courses; in-person and online events; one-to-one mentoring; and expert editing services, to interviews with publishers, agents and authors – they’re with you for every word.
Established in 1996 as the first editorial consultancy of its kind, The Literary Consultancy (TLC) offers a range of services for writers including manuscript assessment, mentoring, and literary events. TLC's services are available to all writers, at all stages of development, writing in English.
Nine Arches Press are an independent publisher founded in 2008, based in the West Midlands and supported by Arts Council England. As well as publishing poetry books and the magazine, Under the Radar, they produce events and workshops, and run two programmes of mentoring, Dynamo and Primers, which support new and emerging writers.
Poetry School is a national arts organisation providing inspiring tuition and opportunities for poets and poetry audiences. With established teaching centres throughout England as well as online courses, downloadable activities, and the world’s biggest social network dedicated to poetry – CAMPUS – Poetry School is unique in its ability to reach and develop aspiring poets wherever they are, both in the UK and internationally.
The Poetry Society, founded in 1909, is the UK’s leading organisation for poetry. With innovative education and commissioning programmes, and a packed calendar of performances, competitions, and digital projects, The Poetry Society champions poetry for all ages. It has a thriving worldwide membership and publishes Britain’s leading poetry magazine, The Poetry Review.
The Society of Authors is the UK trade union for more than 1200 writers, scriptwriters, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. They have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession since 1884.
Writers’ HQ runs affordable creative writing courses, retreats and workshops for kickass writers who just want to get the fuck on with it. Our mission is to change the world for the better by helping people tell the stories that matter.
The Writing Coach is an international mentoring and development organisation for writers, founded by novelist Jacqui Lofthouse. It was the first UK organisation to focus on a coaching-based approach for writers and now offers coaching, mentoring and manuscript assessment to writers at all stages of their careers. The Writing Coach also offers an online community for writers "The Literary Community" which includes weekly classes on mindset, craft and connection with readers and the industry.
Writing Magazine is the UK’s bestselling magazine for all writers. The monthly magazine is for every writer, from beginner to advanced, whether you write for pleasure or publication, and whatever your writing preferences, Writing Magazine has something to help you.
The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, part of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, has remained the authoritative resource for putting people in touch, writers and artists alike, with the publishing industry for over 100 years. writersandartists.co.uk was created in 2011 as a natural extension of the Yearbook. The site offers a completely free resource to writers and illustrators, providing guidance and advice on how to make progress with a project and get it published. Create an account for free and gain access to hundreds of expert advice articles and inspirational author interviews, a lively online community, events and editorial services for every stage of your creative journey. We offer varied writing competitions that are always free to enter and our short story competition and the Working-Class Writers’ Prize are yearly staples. We have a yearly bursary scheme and encourage all writers to apply for an event or editing service here.
Showcase & Anthology Partners
Southbank Centre is the largest arts centre in the UK and one of the nation's top visitor attractions. They seek out the world’s most exciting artists, from household names to fresh new talent, and give them space to showcase their best work. Now in its 15th edition, London Literature Festival is the longest-running literature festival in the city, setting prestigious authors alongside rising literary stars and cultural observers.
Studio 26 is a bespoke and highly experienced book creation service—offering editing, project management, proofreading, manuscript assessments, typesetting, and cover design to independent publishers and self-publishing authors.