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.
They can be previously unpublished, or with no more than 1 major published work in the English language.
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
Judges
Laetitia Rutherford Erskine
Laetitia is a literary agent at Watson, Little where she represents a diverse list of Fiction and Non-Fiction writers. She regularly gives writing workshops, collaborating with Kingston University, Indie Novella, and Sally Bayley among others. In 2024, Laetitia received the University of West London’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award to begin a part-time Phd to run alongside managing her list of 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.
Tanya Datta
Highly experienced foreign current affairs journalist with scores of investigative documentaries under her belt, who in recent years has turned to writing fiction as well, Tanya counts herself as a storyteller first and foremost. Tanya studied English Literature at Oxford University, Journalism at City University and Creative Writing at Birkbeck, London.
Neale Anderson
Neale took English at Oxford before teaching for 3 years in Okinawa. Work has since taken him to Melbourne, Tokyo and Hong Kong, enabling him to indulge his love of adventure. He loves fine writing in all its forms.
Adele Grass
Mother to Tom Grass, avid reader and lover of literature.
Judging process
The Prize is open for submissions from 1st October 2024 and closes on 31st March 2025. Submissions will be logged during this time.
The Tom Grass Prize supporters will form a group of readers to assess all entries. By discussion and democratic process, a longlist will then be referred to the panel of judges. The panel of judges will decide on the winning 3 entries to include 2 runners-up and 1 overall winner.
How to enter
To enter the Tom Grass Literary Prize, please submit your piece of between 1,500 and 3,000 words maximum using the website entry form below.
In the subject bar of your submission, please state: Tom Grass Prize, Author name, ‘Title of Piece’.
Material should be submitted in a single Word document, in a clear font, point size 12. Please include with the piece a brief one paragraph outline to introduce or give context to it, including reference to your personal background if you consider this relevant.
Filenames should follow the form: Author name, ‘Title of Piece.’ The title page should include the author’s contact details. All pages should be numbered and include Author name and ‘Title of Piece’ as a footer or header.
In the body of your submission email, no further personal information is needed, other than the material attached and your contact details.
The entry must be written in the English Language, in prose, in any genre of Fiction or Non Fiction as long as it reflects, in whichever way the writer interprets, the sensibility of the Tom Grass Prize.
The entry must be previously unpublished (including self-published) and should stand alone as a self-contained piece, even if adapted from a longer work.
Entrants are permitted only one entry each and entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted. Joint submissions are permitted but should be sent only once, on behalf of both authors, subject to both authors consenting to entering and being eligible.
Entries should be uploaded to the website portal any time between 1st October 2024 and March 31st 2025, with the deadline closing at midnight, UK time, on March 31st 2025. All entries will be read by the Tom Grass Prize team of supporters, who will create a longlist to be submitted to the Jury. A final shortlist of 3 including the winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 4th June 2025. The winner and shortlist of 3 will be publicly announced simultaneously.
The Tom Grass Prize is free to enter.
Terms & Conditions
Entrants must be over the age of 25 as of 1st October 2024 when submissions open.
Entrants can live anywhere in the world, and we encourage entrants from all backgrounds.
Entries must be written in the English Language.
Entries must be previously unpublished.
Entries must be original to the author and must not violate the copyright or other rights of any third party.
Entrants can be previously unpublished writers or, if published, with no more than 1 major work to their name, usually considered to be a book-length work. Please provide details of the work with your submission.
Entrants must comply with these terms and conditions to be eligible. If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, the Tom Grass Prize may, at their sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the competition.
No further correspondence will be entered into other than for the receipt of submissions and the judges’ decision.
Submit your entry
The Tom Grass Prize adheres to the principles of GDPR, and the data you give as part of the application will be used solely for the purposes of the Prize itself, unless you give permission otherwise. Our privacy notice can be found here.