The Bath Novel Award is a £3,000 international prize for manuscripts by emerging novelists writing for adults.
Established in Bath, England in 2013, recipients include Abi Daré for the manuscript of THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE and new James Bond author Kim Sherwood for TESTAMENT.
This year’s judge is KATE BARKER. Kate set up her own literary agency in 2017 and represents a wide range of writers. Before that she was an editor at Viking for a decade and has also worked for Curtis Brown, Orion and Bookouture.
The author of 2023’s winning manuscript will receive £3,000 and our exclusive Minerva trophy. Shortlistees win a compilation of award readers’ comments on their full manuscript and all listees win feedback on their opening pages and synopsis from Cornerstones’ editorial director Monica Chakraverty.
One longlistee will also win a place worth £1,800 on acclaimed online course Edit Your Novel the Professional Way from longlist prize co-sponsors Professional Writing Academy and Cornerstones Literary Consultancy
Initial submissions are the opening 5,000 words plus one page synopsis of novel manuscripts for adults or young adults which are complete at over 50,000 words.
Entry is £29 per novel with sponsored places available for writers on a low income
Submissions for The Bath Novel Award 2023 are invited from 1st December 2022 until 31st May 2023.
Bath Novel Award Recipients
Francesca Robbins
A P Firdaus
Andrew J King
KATE TROPHY 2
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Sophie Draper
KimSherwoodauthorphoto copy
Clarissa 2016
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Interviews with Bath Novel Award recipients
The Bath Novel Award 2021
A P FIRDAUS for REMEMBER, MR SHARMA (Sceptre 2023)
The Bath Novel Award 2020
ANDREW J KING for THE ARROW GARDEN
(Aderyn Press 2023)
The Bath Novel Award 2019
KATE SIMANTS for A RUINED GIRL
(Viper Books 2020)
The Bath Novel Award 2018
ABI DARÉ for THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE
(Hodder & Stoughton 2020)
The Bath Novel Award 2017
SOPHIE DRAPER for CUCKOO
(Avon Books 2018)
The Bath Novel Award 2016
KIM SHERWOOD for TESTAMENT
(Riverrun 2018)
The Bath Novel Award 2015
CLARISSA GOENAWAN for RAINBIRDS
(Soho Press 2017)
The Bath Novel Award 2014
JOANNA BARNARD for PRECOCIOUS
(Ebury Press 2015)