Call to writers everywhere
Eligibility criteria
The Tom Grass Prize is open to all writers from all over the world who are over the age of 25 and writing in the English language.
Entrants must not be represented by a Literary Agent and must not have any previous or new book under contract with a mainstream publisher for the duration of the prize.
The word count is between 1,500 and 3,000 words.
The entry can be either fiction or non-fiction and must be a stand-alone piece of prose.
Entrants are invited to reflect the spirit of adventure in subject matter and/or style in whichever way and in however broad a sense the writer interprets this.
Prizes
1st prize: £1,000
Two runners-up prizes: £500 each
All three finalists will be offered meeting with a Literary Agent.
Judges
Laetitia Rutherford Erskine
Laetitia is a literary agent at Watson, Little representing a diverse list of Fiction and Non-Fiction. She regularly gives writing workshops, collaborating with Kingston University, Indie Novella, and the London Writers’ Cafe. In 2024, Laetitia received the University of West London’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award to begin a part-time Phd exploring the print to digital transformation. Laetitia is researching this alongside working closely with her authors.
Justin Wateridge
An avid traveller and lover of books, Justin has worked in travel for over thirty years. He does so with a curiosity for people, places and planet. And in particular, arbitrary lines.
Luigi Bonomi
Highly accomplished literary agent and Managing Director of LBA Books in London. With a background in English Literature from University College London and Dartmouth College, he has over 35 years of experience in the publishing industry. Bonomi has launched the careers of numerous bestselling authors and was named Literary Agent of the Year in 2010.
Deok Joo Rhee KC
Deok Joo met Tom at Oxford University where she studied and taught Law. She is now a practising barrister, with a strong interest in all things European, international and comparative. Deok Joo loves writing in all its forms - and is particularly drawn to themes of memory, place and belonging, and the interplay between substance and form.
David Clifton
David studied History at Oxford University with Tom. A big fan of travel and adventure, he has lived for over 20 years in Mexico and worked and travelled across Latin America, the US and Caribbean, including many wonderful adventures of all kinds with Tom.
Adele Grass
Mother to Tom Grass, avid reader and lover of literature.
Praise Ukpai
Praise is a passionate and dynamic writer whose work bridges feminism, cultural identity, and personal storytelling. Her work has been featured in notable publications such as Fourth Wave and Modern Women on Medium, Writers Space Africa, and many others. With her piece ‘Where the Sky Ends’, she won the inaugural Tom Grass Prize. She is the Founder of Africa Writers Connect (AWC), a gathering of African writers and creatives who tell authentic African stories for social impact.
Judging process
The Tom Grass Spirit of Adventure Literary Prize opens for submissions on 1 November 2025 and closes on 31 March 2026.
All entries will be logged and verified to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
A group of volunteer readers and supporters of the Prize will review all submissions blind (without seeing author names). Through discussion and a democratic selection process, this team will create a long list of standout entries.
The final judging panel will then read thge longlisted works and select three prize-winning pieces - one overall winner and two runners-up.
The judging panel is chaired by literary agent Laetitia Rutherford and includes leading figures from publishing, travel, and the arts.
