John Dean – Crime Writer

The first Northern Writers’ Awards for 2026 – The Hachette Children’s Novel Awards and Young Writers’ Awards – are open for submissions.

Debut writers of middle grade and early teen fiction can win £3,000 and a nine-month programme of mentoring and support from Hachette Children’s Group. 

The Young Writers’ Awards are also open for ages to 11-19 writing in any form or genre, including special prizes for those writing in English as an additional language and those who have faced barriers to pursuing their talent. Writers living anywhere in the North of England are invited to submit work by 12 January. 

From 3 November– 26 February, the inaugural Children’s Books North Network Prize will open for picture book illustrators, offering a £1,000 prize and a programme of mentoring.

Check out these opportunities, and others, at https://newwritingnorth.com/