Mslexia: Women’s Fiction Competition 2026 – Novel
21 September 2026
Mslexia’s competition is open to unpublished fiction novels of at least 50 000 words in any genre for adult and/or young adult readers. The competition is open to all women, of any nationality, from any country, provided you’re writing in English (or associated dialects).
Your submission:
- Submit the first 5 000 words only in the first instance.
- Longlisted entrants will be asked to submit their finished manuscripts along with a synopsis later in the judging process.
The winner and three finalists will also receive the following prizes:
- Manuscript feedback from The Literary Consultancy, one of the leading editorial and mentoring agencies in the UK.
- Pitch training at a day-long professional workshop in Newcastle upon Tyne, where participants will learn to summarise and present their book in an effective way.
- Personal introductions to agents and editors at a Talent Party in central London.
- Both the workshop and Talent Party are arranged in partnership with New Writing North. Mslexia will contribute a total of £100 towards each finalists’ travel expenses.
Entry fee: £28
Deadline: 21 September 2026
For any further information email Mslexia at competitions@mslexia.co.uk