Nine awards of £175 each will be made for:
1) a piece of previously unpublished fiction of approx 1000 words,
2) three linked writing prompts,
3) three linked discussion questions,
4) a link to two publically available poems (online) which in some way connect to your unpublished fiction, and
5) a suggestion of a broad theme for your writing.

Our readers have described our Unbound programme as a “cave to escape into” and an “oasis”, so we will generally not consider dark or otherwise troubling texts. Applicants may wish to familiarise themselves with previously successful commissions, which are still available on our website.

Open Book will include this new writing in our Unbound newsletter,which is used in most of our shared reading groups and has the purpose of connecting our subscribers at a time when we’re not able to meet in person. Each of these issues of Unbound will centre on a broad theme. (Previous themes have included home, bridges, transform and grow, garden and celebration.) Please also suggest a theme for the Unbound issue that would include your writing.

For full information, please visit our website

Deadline: Friday 22 October 2021 at 17:00.