As reported in The Bookseller, Goldfinch Books, an independent bookshop in Alton, Hampshire, has announced a nationwide literary competition to coincide with the inaugural Alton Arts Festival.

Launching on 19th January 2024, the Goldfinch Novel Award is a £300 prize for emerging authors over 16-years-old, and will be awarded to completed young adult or adult novels.

Authors for the Novel Award are invited to submit their first 5,000 words plus a one-page synopsis to Goldfinch Books, following the instructions on the bookshop’s website. The competition costs £10 per entry and authors are permitted to submit more than one entry.

Longlisted authors will be invited to submit their full manuscript for shortlisting in June. The winner will be announced on the final day of the Alton Arts Festival, 14th July 2024.

The judge for this year’s prize is Kiya Evans, associate literary agent at Mushens Entertainment, who said: “I am overjoyed to be judging the Goldfinch Books Novel Award, especially in its inaugural year. I love nothing more than an independent bookshop, and am excited to team up with Goldfinch Books and Alton Arts Festival to discover an abundance of exciting new talent.”

Gary Clark, who owns the bookshop with his wife, Jude, and sister-in-law, Andrea, added: “Goldfinch is as much a home for writers as it is for readers, so as well as the cash prize we are also offering the winners a place on our Creative Writing course. We can’t wait to start reading.”

Goldfinch is also running two free local writing awards that are free to enter, for young writers aged 12 to 16 and for "Mini Writers" under 12. Submissions for all three awards are open from 19th January until 15th May.