Guest Judges
Nancy Campbell
Nancy Campbell is a queer poet whose work often finds expression in collaborative explorations with artists and musicians, or explores the radical potential of the book form through independent letterpress publishing projects. Disko Bay, her debut collection drawing on the experience of a winter as Writer in Residence at Upernavik Museum in Greenland, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize and described as ”deft, dangerous and dazzling“ by Carol Ann Duffy.
Nancy's decade-long hybrid creative response to the climate of the polar regions was awarded the Royal Geographical Society Ness Award in 2020. Her latest non-fiction book is Thunderstone, a memoir of health and housing precarity, which won the TLS Ackerley Prize in 2023. She has held numerous international research residencies, most recently as Visiting Professor of Literature at the Free University of Berlin. www.nancycampbell.co.uk
Kieran Yates
Kieran Yates is a London-based journalist, broadcaster and editor who writes about culture, technology and politics. She’s written everywhere from the Guardian, FADER, VICE, The Independent and beyond, had an acclaimed monthly column at VICE titled ‘British Values’, was nominated for Culture Writer of the Year in 2016 and regularly hosts events and panels discussing issues across music, politics, and news. Kieran contributed to the award-winning book of essays The Good Immigrant in 2017, where she wrote about ‘Going Home’. In 2015 she started a fanzine called ‘British Values’, a political satire and culture magazine that celebrates immigrant communities in the UK. She is the co-author of Generation Vexed: What the English Riots Didn’t Tell Us About Your Nation’s Youth published by Random House in 2011, and was part of the Guardian’s ‘My Favourite Album’ eBook in 2011 Kieran’s debut book about home and the housing crisis, All The Houses I’ve Lived In, was published in May 2023 by Simon & Schuster.
Prize Partner Judges
Beth Brambling is a writer based in Newcastle upon Tyne. In her role as the Online Manager at Faber Academy she curates the programme of online courses, working with writers to create world-class learning experiences for students working at all levels. She is passionate about fostering worldwide writing communities and widening access to publishing and the arts.
Jack Hadley is Senior Courses Manager at Curtis Brown Creative. He worked as a reader and researcher at film/TV production company The Imaginarium Studios in Ealing, before joining the CBC team in September 2016.
Aki Schilz is the Director of The Literary Consultancy, the UK’s longest-running editorial consultancy. She is a judge for the Bridport First Novel Award and sits on its steering committee. She is also a prize-winning writer of poetry and fiction, and co-founder of the Saboteur Award-shortlisted #LossLit digital literature project. In 2018 Aki was named as one of the FutureBook 40 (a list of the top 40 innovators in UK publishing), and nominated for an h100 Award for her #BookJobTransparency campaign and her work to improve representation and accessibility in the literature sector. She is also the founder of the Rebecca Swift Foundation, in memory of TLC’s founder and her boss and mentor. In 2019 Aki was shortlisted for the Kim Scott-Walwyn Prize.
Shortlist Judges
Creative Non-Fiction: Louis Bailey is a writer, researcher and night runner based in the Dark Peak. In 2023 he was shortlisted for the Nan Shepherd Prize for nature writing and in 2024 he won the Creative Future Platinum Award for non-fiction for his piece, The Nightjar. He was one of eight writers awarded a place on the inaugural Prototype Development Programme. His work has been published by Little Toller Books, Routledge, Taylor & Francis, and in a range of journals including New Review in Hypermedia and Multimedia, Mortality, and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. He is currently working on his debut non-fiction book–The Night Run–which explores darkness, shape-shifting and the nocturnal world (forthcoming 2027, Dialogue Books).
Fiction: Harper Walton is the author of the poetry collection Common Only in Name (Porters Books) and the fiction collection Midnight Movies (Femmesocial Press). They edited the anthology Carnival at the End of the World (Buoy Press). They have a Master’s Degree in creative writing from the Paris School of Arts and Culture. Their work is featured by Magma, Seedlings, 1883 Magazine, Whitechapel Gallery, Venice Architecture Biennale and more. They have won two Young Poets Network, the Creative Future Writers’ Awards and a Manchester Cathedral Poetry Prize. They were a lead actor and co-writer for Persona Collective’s immersive theatre show The Village in Soho and Chinatown. They have headlined and hosted spoken word events in Bath, Bristol and London.
Poetry: Jess Murrain is a queer, interdisciplinary creative of British-Caribbean heritage, working in live art, theatre, film and poetry. She is also the co-founder/Artistic Director of Theatre with Legs, an experimental theatre company, whose latest live art & poetry project, NEUROQUEER, was commissioned by Bradford 2025 City of Culture. She is the winner of the Ledbury Poetry Prize (2021) and Out-Spoken Prize in Poetry and Film (2023), with poetry appearing in bath magg, Magma and The Poetry Review. She is an alumnus of Southbank New Poets Collective (21/22), and her poetry pamphlet One Woman-Horse Show is published with Bad Betty Press.
Prize Partners
Booksmiths are Alex Hourston and Rebecca Whitney, two friends and authors who run creative writing workshops, as well as offer mentoring and editorial guidance at every stage of the writing process. Between them, they have published four novels, have two more in the pipeline, and also write short-form memoir on Substack. 2025 sees the continuation of their writer's workshops at Brighton’s Soho House, with more workshops at Platf9rm in the pipeline. They have a passion for new writing and are committed to championing underrepresented voices.
Curtis Brown Creative run writing courses in London and online. It is the only writing school to be owned and run by a major literary and talent agency. Over 280 former students have become commercially published authors, including Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry), Nussaibah Younis (Fundamentally), Sean Lusk (The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley), Lucy Rose (The Lamb) and Jennie Godfrey (The List of Suspicious Things). They frequently run free courses, scholarships and mentoring for under-represented writers through their Breakthrough Writers’ Programme.
Faber Academy provides writing courses (in London, Newcastle and online), manuscript assessments and mentoring programmes across a wide range of disciplines including fiction, poetry and memoir. We ran our first course in 2008, and since then have gone on to see our alumni secure major publication deals, win awards and begin their writing careers. Our tutors, mentors and manuscript readers are celebrated, professional authors and editors, and our courses are designed with the help of pedagogical experts—but first and foremost, Faber Academy is a place for people who are passionate about writing to work together.
Jericho Writers are a global writing community who offer everything you need to write, edit and get your book published. From tutored video courses; in-person and online events; one-to-one mentoring; and expert editing services, to interviews with publishers, agents and authors – they’re with you for every word.
Established in 1996 as the first editorial consultancy of its kind, The Literary Consultancy (TLC) offers a range of services for writers including manuscript assessment, mentoring, and literary events. TLC's services are available to all writers, at all stages of development, writing in English.
Poetry School is a national arts organisation providing inspiring tuition and opportunities for poets and poetry audiences. With established teaching centres throughout England as well as online courses, downloadable activities, and the world’s biggest social network dedicated to poetry – CAMPUS – Poetry School is unique in its ability to reach and develop aspiring poets wherever they are, both in the UK and internationally.
The Poetry Society, founded in 1909, is the UK’s leading organisation for poetry. With innovative education and commissioning programmes, and a packed calendar of performances, competitions, and digital projects, The Poetry Society champions poetry for all ages. It has a thriving worldwide membership and publishes Britain’s leading poetry magazine, The Poetry Review.
The Society of Authors is the UK trade union for more than 1200 writers, scriptwriters, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. They have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession since 1884.
Writers’ HQ runs affordable creative writing courses, retreats and workshops for kickass writers who just want to get the fuck on with it. Our mission is to change the world for the better by helping people tell the stories that matter.
The Writing Coach is an international mentoring and development organisation for writers, founded by novelist Jacqui Lofthouse. It was the first UK organisation to focus on a coaching-based approach for writers and now offers coaching, mentoring and manuscript assessment to writers at all stages of their careers. The Writing Coach also offers an online community for writers "The Literary Community" which includes weekly classes on mindset, craft and connection with readers and the industry.
Writing Magazine is the UK’s bestselling magazine for all writers. The monthly magazine is for every writer, from beginner to advanced, whether you write for pleasure or publication, and whatever your writing preferences, Writing Magazine has something to help you.
The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, part of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, has remained the authoritative resource for putting people in touch, writers and artists alike, with the publishing industry for over 100 years. writersandartists.co.uk was created in 2011 as a natural extension of the Yearbook. The site offers a completely free resource to writers and illustrators, providing guidance and advice on how to make progress with a project and get it published. Create an account for free and gain access to hundreds of expert advice articles and inspirational author interviews, a lively online community, events and editorial services for every stage of your creative journey. We offer varied writing competitions that are always free to enter and our short story competition and the Working-Class Writers’ Prize are yearly staples. We have a yearly bursary scheme and encourage all writers to apply for an event or editing service here.
Showcase & Anthology Partners
Southbank Centre is the largest arts centre in the UK and one of the nation's top visitor attractions. They seek out the world’s most exciting artists, from household names to fresh new talent, and give them space to showcase their best work. Now in its 15th edition, London Literature Festival is the longest-running literature festival in the city, setting prestigious authors alongside rising literary stars and cultural observers.
Studio 26 is a bespoke and highly experienced book creation service—offering editing, project management, proofreading, manuscript assessments, typesetting, and cover design to independent publishers and self-publishing authors.