The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize is an international writing prize that supports and celebrates the best adventure writing today. The Prize is open to writers of any nationality, writing in English.
On 1st May 2020, we announced the Best Published Novel award is on hiatus for 2020, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read our full letter here.
The Best Unpublished Manuscript and Author of Tomorrow awards will continue as planned.
Awards are presented in three categories:
KEY DATES FOR THE 2020 PRIZE:
Best Published Novel and Best Unpublished Manuscript (currently closed for submissions):
Submissions Open: 6th January – 2nd March 2020
Published Longlist Revealed: 7th May 2020
Published Shortlist Revealed: 21st May 2020
Unpublished Shortlist Revealed: 28th May 2020
Winners Announced: 9th September 2020
Please note the Best Published Novel award will not go ahead in 2020.
Author of Tomorrow (currently closed for submissions):
Submissions Open: 5th March – 5th May 2020
Shortlist Revealed: 2nd July 2020
Winners Announced: 9th September 2020
WINNERS OF THE 2019 WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE:
BEST PUBLISHED NOVEL: £15,000
Firefly by Henry Porter (Quercus)
BEST UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT: Publishing deal with Bonnier Books UK
What We Did at the End by Cecily Blench (UK)
AUTHOR OF TOMORROW, in partnership with Worldreader:
11 and Under: £100 and £150 in book tokens for the winner's school
The Midnight Zone by Ewan Hart (age 9)
12-15 years: £100 and £150 in book tokens for the winner's school
The Lament of Orphia by Eshana Dasanjh (age 15)
16-21 years: £1000
An Adventure at Sea by Meg Lintern (age 16)
Highly Commended by Wilbur and Niso Smith
Cold by Ryan Bridges (age 18)