Highlighting the writers of the future
Spotlight First Novel Award is our way of celebrating and encouraging new writers. After some tough deliberations we are pleased to announce the winner of this year’s competition is Alex Kellett.
Absolute Lad is a contemporary Greek tragedy set in sleepy East Midlands town that explores the world of amateur football.
Other strong contenders were: Making Scents: Avantika Taneja. The Suffolk Merman: Dawn Jelley. Trad Wives: Danielle Cahill. Change: Lauren Jones.
Alex Kellett has won a Stage One mentoring package and transitional support. We will be profiling him and his novel in the coming months.
Thank you all for making our decision so difficult!
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Pathways to Success
Spotlight First Novel Award is an annual competition designed to encourage writers at every stage, from laying down a challenge—to write an eye-catching first page and knock a synopsis into shape—to nurturing the winner through the key pre-submission stage. Further information about the competition
Profiles focus on the key elements that will sell your novel. How do profiles work? See what other writers had to say.
Stage One Mentoring is designed to support and challenge writers aiming for publication. See how it could work for you. Further information about Stage One Mentoring.
Spotlight Feedback Offers. Could your pages be improved? Quite possibly. Spotlight Feedback offers invaluable feedback at a subsidised rate. Spotlight Feedback offers.
Next Steps. No matter what stage you reached take time to congratulate yourself on knocking your first page and synopsis into shape. You have dreamed a novel into being. You have thought about how to represent it to a wider audience. You are on your way!
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Previous Spotlight Winners & Finalists
2023
Winner: How to Marrie A Rich Man. Linda Temienor-Vincent. Finalists: Aria for Wall Street. Priscilla McCalley. Riverrun. Brian Kirk. Shotline. Paul Baird. Catherine of Kilbrittain. Bernie McCarthy
2022
Winner: Blood Caste. Shylashri Shankar. Finalists: The Artist: Lucy Steeds. A Cypress Tree has no Shadow: Kevin Neill. Under The Storm Shield. James Lancaster. October One: Olugbenga Adelekan.
2021
Winner: The Summons. Katharine Peel. Finalists: Eisaku. Takamatsu Tamako. The Little Shell Collector. Rachel Marangozov. The Vultures of Hogwaller. Jay Hodgkins and The Disappearance of Sir. Nilesha Chauvet.
Spotlight First Novel Award
celebrating and encouraging new writers at a pivotal stage