The Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize, which has been awarded to some of the most exciting new voices in life writing, poetry, and fiction from around the world since 2009, is to open to entries in translation across all three categories for the first time in 2025.
Representing more of the globe than any other prize of its kind, the prize supports writers who have not yet published book-length works, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine; if a work in translation wins, the cash prize will be split equally between the author and translator.
All winners and shortlisted writers will be offered the Chapter and Verse or Free Reads mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy (dependent on eligibility), as well as a one-year print subscription to Wasafiri.
This year's multi-award-winning judges are Romesh Gunesekera (Chair), Anton Hur (Fiction), Noreen Masud (Life Writing), and Yasmine Seale (Poetry).
Entry fee: £12 for a single entry, £16 for a double entry, and £6 for a single subsidised entry
Find out more
here
Deadline: 11.59pm BST on 30 June 2025