Curtis Brown to sponsor Caledonia Novel Award 2025

Curtis Brown has been announced as this year’s sponsor of the Caledonia Novel Award, with agents Alice Lutyens and Ciara Finan joining the judging panel.

Now in its 11th year, the Caledonia Novel Award was started by Wendy Bough in 2014. Previous winners include The Doll Factory (Picador, 2019) by Elizabeth Macneal and The Housekeepers (Headline, 2023) by Alex Hay.

Organisers say the aim of the award is to “give writers access to agents, to demystify the publishing process and to encourage everyone and anyone to enter their work into the prize” adding “publishing should be open to everyone, regardless of background and financial means.”The entry fee is £28 per manuscript, but Curtis Brown is sponsoring 20 funded places for those on a low income.

Wendy Bough joins Lutyens and Finan on the judging panel. Lutyens was previously a judge in 2022, signing that year’s winner, Alex Hay. The winner of the Caledonia Novel Award will receive £1,500. A highly commended writer will receive £500 and a week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor near Inverness.

Deadline for submissions is 15th October 2024. The shortlist will be announced in January 2025, with the winner revealed in February.