Dear writers,

 

Here we are at the end of another competition year, and as usual, you did not fail to impress. The breadth and quality of work we receive staggers us prize after prize, and we had some of the strongest entries ever in 2023. Whittling them down was painstaking, but sharing them with our affiliated agents is going to be an absolute pleasure. Congratulations to the winner and those shortlisted, to the longlisted authors, and to everyone else who took the time and energy to put together an entry for us.

 

We began this journey in 2016 with a simple flash fiction prize that awarded just £100 to the winner, and since, we’ve grown to be one of the largest debut novel prizes in the UK. Each year we welcome more than 1,000 entries and it’s been a joy to spend my time reading them, discovering some truly wonderful hidden gems, and being a part of the journeys of so many authors.
 

But now, with a heavy heart, we must announce that the International Novel Prize will not return in 2024. There are myriad reasons why we’ve decided on this course of action, but at its heart, we feel that Grindstone can no longer provide a service that truly aligns with our original goals while retaining the competition format. Other responsibilities draw our focus, and a changing industry means that competitions like ours just can’t do enough to champion those unsung voices trying desperately to break through.

 

While Grindstone will live on in spirit, and we’ll deliberate over ways we can continue to serve the writing community, the Novel Prize in its current form is no more. We will keep you updated on any further developments or opportunities that Grindstone has to offer and will continue to delivery high-quality, useful, and actionable content to our community as time goes on.

 

Thank you so much for your unending support. Grindstone has always been a labour of passion and love, and as well as getting to read your work, I’ve sincerely, and truly enjoyed my interactions with you all.

 

If you have any questions, parting sentiments, or you just want to get in touch, please do so. You can reach us at admin@grindstoneliterary.com where we’ll do our best to respond.

 

For now, good bye and good luck! And if nothing else, remember the words we’ve always sworn by as you continue to chase this dream: It’s time to work.

 

All the best on the road ahead from the team here at Grindstone.