THE 2026 CHAPTER ONE PRIZE FOR NOVELISTS
Submissions Open Tuesday, February 3
Deadline Tuesday, March 3 @ 5PM ET
The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is open internationally to writers over 18 who are working on an as-yet-unpublished novel (fiction only). The prize has been established to support and celebrate novelists and aims to find the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in the English language.
On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the three prize winners and honorable mentions will be announced here on the website and via social media, and all entrants will be contacted via email about the results. Prize winners and honorable mentions must agree to allow us to post their winning entries on this website.
Have questions? Read our FAQs.