University of Oxford and 42 New Writing Prize

The Faculty of English at the University of Oxford is delighted to announce the launch of a multi-disciplinary storytelling competition in conjunction with the management and production company, 42.

Are you an aspiring novelist, playwright or screenwriter? We would love to hear from you. We are looking for talented new voices in fiction and welcome experimental writing as well as work that would appeal to a broad audience, whether on the printed page, the stage, radio, television or the big screen.

 

Submission conditions:

• Entrants must be over the age of 18
• Entrants must be living, working or studying in the UK or Ireland at the date of submission to the closing date of entries
• To enter the competition, you need to submit a synopsis (up to 300 words) and an elevator pitch of no more than two sentences for a work of fiction, along with one of the following:
  • Novel – the first 10,000 to 15,000 words
  • Stage or radio play – a complete script of between 30 and 90 pages
  • Screenplays – a script of between 30 and 60 pages for episode one of a TV show or a complete feature-length film script of 90 pages.
  • Entries must be emailed to: [email protected]

 

Judging panel: Abby Ajayi, creator of “Riches” (ITVX and Amazon); Chris Chibnall, creator of “Broadchurch” (ITV) and author of DEATH AT THE WHITE HART (Penguin 2025); Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, author of METAMORPHOSIS and Professor of English Literature (University of Oxford); and Rona Munro, award-winning Scottish playwright of “The James Plays”.

 

Prize: The winner will receive £1500 along with professional representation by 42.

 

Deadline: 30th April 2025

 

For more information about the competition and how to enter, click here: Frequently Asked Questions here.