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Please also read the competition terms and conditions here as well as the general website terms and conditions here and you may like to read our Frequently Asked Questions page.

 

The competition is open to any woman, writing in the English language, of any nationality who are resident in the UK and Ireland over the age of 18 on the closing date 23 May 2025. Entrants must be unpublished fiction writers and entries must not have been published in any format (physical, ebook, audio) prior to entry. 
 

Applicants are asked to submit a one-page synopsis and 5,000 words of their unpublished Comedy Novel, which needs to be a completed work between 60,000 and 80,000 words. If selected for the LONGLIST, you will be asked to submit a full manuscript.
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Format

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• The 5,000 words of each entry, double spaced, 12pt, plus a one-page synopsis, single spaced 12pt, should be submitted AS ONE DOCUMENT via the Entry Form page.

• The title of the novel should be at the top of the document, but no identifying name/s of author or submitter should appear on the document. Entries will be read blind.

• The document should be saved in doc/docx format and titled as the name of the novel, i.e. my-novel-title.docx

• Completed novels will be requested at latest by Wednesday 25 June 2025 and must be between 60,000 and 80,000 words. As we may request the additional material at any time, novels should be completed before entering.

• Complete novels called for must also be submitted as doc/docx documents with no name or other identification on the manuscript.

• By submitting work for the Prize, you are agreeing that ALL criteria have been met and you have accepted these terms and conditions.

• Any entry failing to meet the criteria will be disqualified.

 

Entries must be submitted by authors and must be via the Entry Form page. Writers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to enter.

 

The prize for the Unpublished Category Winner will be a publishing contract with Hera Books. The publisher reserves the right to publish in the format of their choice. Full T&Cs for this prize can be found here in case you haven't read them already. Should the winner not accept the terms of the publishing contract, neither Hera Books nor the winner will have any obligation to move forward with the publishing contract and Hera Books will be under no obligation to provide an alternative prize.

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The runner up in the Unpublished Prize receives a place on the University of Hertfordshire MA in Creative Writing OR Writing Mentorship, consisting of four meetings with a professionally published author from the Creative Writing Team, taken within a six-month period, to discuss and workshop your current work in progress. A second runner-up will receive a the offer of a place on the online MA in Comedy Writing at Falmouth University which is the first of its kind in the country, subject to first module being funded by the University and the remaining modules paid for by the prize winner OR a writing mentorship. A third runner-up will receive a Platinum Package from Fuzzy Flamingo.

​The winner/runners-up must take prizes (particularly where prizes include training, services or events) at times decided by the prize givers acting in their sole discretion.

 

Liability: 

The University of Hertfordshire (the “University”) gives no guarantee in relation to the prize offered by the University and assumes no liability for the failure or non-performance thereof under any circumstances. The University will not be liable for any loss, damage or delay which occurs in connection with your participation in this competition or your use of (or participation in relation to) any prize, including, without limitation, financial, indirect or consequential loss. The University will not be liable for the costs of entrants participating in the competition; such costs will be borne by the entrants themselves. Any liability for tax associated with the receipt of prizes shall be the responsibility of the relevant winner and the University cannot provide any advice or assistance in this respect. The University reserves the right to cancel or amend the terms of the prize at any time without notice.

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Falmouth University (the “University”) gives no guarantee in relation to the prize offered by the University and assumes no liability for the failure or non-performance thereof under any circumstances. The University will not be liable for any loss, damage or delay which occurs in connection with your participation in this competition or your use of (or participation in relation to) any prize, including, without limitation, financial, indirect or consequential loss. The University will not be liable for the costs of entrants participating in the competition; such costs will be borne by the entrants themselves. Any liability for tax associated with the receipt of prizes shall be the responsibility of the relevant winner and the University cannot provide any advice or assistance in this respect. The University reserves the right to cancel or amend the terms of the prize at any time without notice.

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Closing Date: Friday 23 May 2025
 

Long List Announced: Wednesday 16 July 2025
 

Short List Announced: Wednesday 17 September 2025
 

CWIP Winners Event: Monday 3 November 2025