Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction 2026 - Searchlight Writing for Children Awards

Are you an unagented YA or children’s author with a standout novel for readers aged 7–18? This is your moment to shine and get your writing in front of our literary agent judges who are actively looking for fresh new voices.

Send us the first 3,000 words, an intriguing pitch, and a one‑page synopsis that tells us what the novel is about. If you make the shortlist, we’ll invite you to submit the full manuscript or at least 30,000 words if the novel is still a work in progress. For chapter books aimed at 7+ readers, simply submit the complete story. We look forward to reading your work and sharing it with our readers and agent judges.

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Read the Rules

Prizes & Entries

Longlisted Entries

Selected by our panel of agent judges — your first opportunity for full manuscript requests.

Showcased in Searchlight’s Agent Pitch Book — your second opportunity for full manuscript requests. The pitch book is sent to a wide network of literary agents actively seeking new talent.

Judging Panel feedback — thoughtful observations on your novel extract from an agent judge.

Shortlisted Entries

Read by our Final Judge — our agent judge will read your full manuscript.

Showcased in Searchlight’s Agent Pitch Book — your second opportunity for full manuscript requests. The pitch book is sent to a wide network of literary agents actively seeking new talent.

Final Judge feedback — insightful commentary on your full novel from our eminent Final Judge.

First Prize

Selected by our Final Judge — you are crowned the winner!

Showcased in Searchlight’s Agent Pitch Book — your second opportunity for full manuscript requests. The pitch book is sent to a wide network of literary agents actively seeking new talent.

One‑to‑one agent call — a chance to speak directly with our Final Judge about your manuscript and next-step possibilities.

£1000 cash prize — a financial boost to support your writing journey.

Key Information

Submissions Close: 30^th September 2026, 23.59pm UK time

Longlist/Shortlist Agent Judging Panel

Charlotte Colwill of Colwill and Peddle
Alice Caprio of PFD
Steven Evans of Eve White Literary Agency
Joanna Moult of Skylark Literary

Final Judge

Julia Churchill of AM Heath

Word limit: Pitch: 175 words • Novel extract: 3,000 words • Synopsis: 500 words

Layout: Paste your pitch, first 3,000 words, and synopsis into a single document in that order.

Entry fee per story: £24 (£20 early bird before 31st July)

Results published: February 2027

Please read the rules below before entering the competition

Read the Rules

Our Judges

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Name*
First Last
Email Address*
Phone Number
We will only call you if you’re shortlisted and we cannot reach you by email
Title of your story*
Target Reader Age*
Is your novel complete or work in progress?*
- Complete
- Work in progress
Total manuscript word count
Social Media Details
Platform Account Name
Country of Residence*
Uploading Documents
Paste your pitch, first 3,000 words, and synopsis into a single document in that order.

Your story should be double-spaced, a size 12 font, and submitted as a doc, docx or PDF file.
Upload Your Submission*
Please ensure that your uploaded document doesn’t contain your name, as these files will be sent to the judges. Each upload will automatically be linked to your entry.
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 64 MB, Max. files: 1.
If you are shortlisted, we will contact you for a short biography and photo. These will be posted on our website alongside your story.
Early Bird pricing
Enter before 31st July to get our early bird pricing. Price after 31st July will be £24.
Price:
Mailing List
Would you like to sign up to our mailing list for occasional updates?
Confirmation*
- Please tick here to confirm you accept the competition rules and the details in this form about uploading your story, and that we’ll use your email to send you the results of the competition
Confirmation*
Please tick here to confirm your entry hasn’t been written or heavily edited using generative AI tools
Total to pay today
£ 0.00
Free Places

We’re delighted to offer 20 free places for writers who are in receipt of state benefits, available on a first come, first served basis. These places have been generously funded by individual donors. To help us support as many writers as possible, each writer may claim only one free entry if they secure one of these sponsored places. No proof of eligibility is required.

In the first instance, contact us and we’ll provide you with a voucher code to use on this page.
Free place discount code
Payment
You will be redirected after submitting this page to our payment provider, Stripe, where you can enter your card details.

Competition Information

Every 3,000‑word submission is first read by Kim Donovan, founder of Searchlight Awards, alongside a dedicated team of readers who bring a broad range of perspectives. Our team is passionate about YA and children’s literature and includes children’s writers, teachers, editors, past longlisted and shortlisted Searchlight authors, and young English graduates.

With great care, they review the entries and identify approximately the top 10% to be forwarded to our agent judging panel.

Four literary‑agent judges then read the top 10% and select the strongest entries for the longlist and shortlist.

At this stage, shortlisted authors are invited to submit their full manuscripts, or a minimum of 30,000 words if the work is still in progress. Our final literary‑agent judge then reads these manuscripts and selects the overall winner.

Your story must be suitable for a reader aged between seven and eighteen.
Word limits — Pitch: 175 words, novel extract: 3,000 words, synopsis: 500 words.
Layout: paste your pitch, first 3,000 words, and synopsis into a single document in that order.
Your story should be double-spaced, a size 12 font, and submitted as a doc, docx or PDF file.
Begin your story with the title. Please don’t include any other identifying information on the file, such as your name, as stories are read blind.
Entries need to be in English.
Multiple entries are permitted. However, we require a separate entry form and a new payment each time.
Stories cannot be altered after they are submitted. Refunds are not given if a story is withdrawn.
Entrants must be 16 years and over.
Entrants must be unagented. You may be a published author, but the story you submit must be unpublished. The submitted story must not be under contract for future publication at the time results are announced, and it must be withdrawn from the competition if you sign with an agent or publisher after entering. Entry fees are non‑refundable. Self‑published stories are eligible.
Stories that have been previously longlisted or shortlisted by Searchlight Awards cannot be entered again.
Entries must be the work of the entrant.
AI generated entries are not eligible.
If you are shortlisted, you will have up to two weeks to submit your full manuscript, or a minimum of 30,000 words if it is still a work in progress, for final judging.
While entrants retain full copyright, by entering the Searchlight Awards 2026 Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction you give permission, if shortlisted, for us to post your name, photograph, biography and a short extract of your story on the Searchlight Awards’ website.
By entering the Searchlight Awards 2026 Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction you give permission, if longlisted or shortlisted, for us to include your story in Searchlight’s Agent Pitch Book, which will be sent to UK literary agents.
The decision of the readers and judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging. We are unable to provide individual feedback.
The competition organisers have the right to change the judge.
Results will be posted on the Searchlight Awards’ website and winners will be emailed in February 2027.
By entering the Searchlight Awards Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction 2026, entrants agree to these rules.

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Searchlight Awards 2026 Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction

Are you an unagented YA or children’s author with a standout novel for readers aged 7–18? This is your moment to shine and get your writing in front of our literary agent judges who are actively looking for fresh new voices.

Prizes & Entries

Longlisted Entries

Shortlisted Entries

First Prize

Key Information

Longlist/Shortlist Agent Judging Panel

Final Judge

Our Judges

Enter Now

Free Places

Payment

Competition Information

Judging Process

Rules – Novel Prize for YA and Children’s Fiction 2026