Emirates LitFest Writing Prize
Attention all aspiring novelists! The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature’s writing competition is now open to all aspiring fiction writers and, new for this year, authors of children’s fiction.
The prize for adult fiction will be judged by an old friend of the Festival, Luigi Bonomi, leading literary agent and founder of LBA Books.
The new category of children’s fiction will be judged by Louise Lamont, literary agent and director of LBA Books specialising in children’s authors and illustrators.
About the Prize
The winners of the 2023 Emirates LitFest Writing Prize will get a one-hour one-to-one session with the judge of their category for feedback, and writing career advice.
Entries for the adult fiction category will be judged by international literary agent Luigi Bonomi, founder of Luigi Bonomi Associates (LBA) and literary agent for many of the competition’s previous winners.
Entries for the children’s fiction category will be judged by international literary agent Louise Lamont, director at LBA.
Although this doesn’t guarantee a book deal, a number of past winners have gone on to earn multi-book deals and become published authors.
Rules of Entry
- Only residents of the GCC (UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or Kuwait) are eligible.
- All participants must be first-time novelists who’ve never had books professionally published.
- Entrants must not be currently represented by or working with a literary agent.
- Entrants may submit more than one entry to the Prize, but each entry must be original material, and must not have been submitted in the previous years’ competitions.
- Each entry must be submitted separately and is subject to the entry fee.
- Entrants must be 18 years and older to participate.
- All entries must be fiction and in English.
- The final date of submission is 9 December 2022.
Entry Requirements
Children’s Fiction Category
Entrants must first pay the AED 200 entry fee, after which they will receive a link through which they must upload:
- A 400-word synopsis of the book.
- The first 2,000 words of the almost completed manuscript in Arial, Courier, or Times New Roman font in 12-point size.
- The manuscript must be double-spaced with pages numbered consecutively, and the title must follow this format: ‘Manuscript Title – Your Name.’
Special requirements for picture books:
- Because picture book texts are so short (500-1000 words), it’s advisable to submit a minimum of 2 sample texts
- You do not need to illustrate your picture book before submission – unless you are a professional-standard illustrator. You should not enter into any arrangements with illustrators to provide artwork for submission.
If submitting more than one entry to the Prize, please note that each new entry will be subject to a new entry fee.
All entries must be submitted by 9 December, 2022 to be considered eligible.
For tips from Louise Lamont herself on crafting a winning children’s fiction entry, click here.
Adult Fiction Category
Entrants must first pay the AED 200 entry fee, after which they will receive a link through which they must upload:
- A 400-word synopsis of the book.
- The first 2,000 words of the almost completed manuscript in Arial, Courier, or Times New Roman font in 12-point size.
- The manuscript must be double-spaced with pages numbered consecutively, and the title must follow this format: ‘Manuscript Title – Your Name.’
If submitting more than one entry to the Prize, please note that each new entry will be subject to a new entry fee.
All entries must be submitted by 9 December, 2022 to be considered eligible.
For tips from Luigi Bonomi himself on crafting a winning novel, click here.
Terms and Conditions
- No part of the Prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.
- The Prize will not be transferable to another person.
- The Prize is not open to employees (or members of their immediate families) of the Emirates Literature Foundation.
- Only residents of the GCC (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia) are eligible.
- All participants must be first-time novelists or picture book authors who’ve never had books professionally published.
- Entrants must not be currently represented by or working with a literary agent. Aspiring picture book authors should not be working with an illustrator.
- Entrants may submit more than one entry to the Prize, but each entry must be original material, and must not have been submitted in the previous years’ competitions.
- Each entry must be submitted separately and is subject to the entry fee.
- Entrants must be 18 years and older to participate.
- All entries must be fiction and in English.
- While the contestant will receive dedicated one-to-one advice from the judges, the judges will be under no obligation to represent the winner.
- The judges’ decision is final and they cannot engage with entrants for future editorial work or respond to email communications.
- By entering the Prize, the winner agrees to participate in any promotional activity and material as the Emirates Literature Foundation and the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature may require. The winning entrant also agrees to the use of their name, country of residence and photograph in relation to related publicity material and activities.
- The winner will be announced during the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2023.
- The winner must be available to attend the prize-giving event in Dubai between February 1-6, 2023.
- Winners outside the UAE will be notified in advance so that they can organise their travel arrangements for the prize-giving event.
- All entries will be solely read by the judge of the corresponding category.
Submit Entry
The 2023 cycle of the Emirates LitFest Writing Prize is now closed for submissions. The winners will be announced during the 2023 Emirates LitFest.
