Aspiring novelists are being invited to submit their work to the Farnham Literary Festival’s First Five Pages competition for the chance to win £1,000 and professional feedback.

The competition is open to unpublished writers aged 18 and over, with self-published authors also eligible to enter.

First Five Pages offers writers the chance to win the prestigious Paris Prize for Fiction, which includes £1,000 and a professional critique from literary agent Katie Fulford of Bell Lomax Moreton. Second and third place winners will receive £300 and £200 respectively.

Entrants are invited to submit the first five pages of their novel, along with a 250-word synopsis. The first prize money is provided by New York Times and Sunday Times best-selling author B.A. Paris, who will also be one of the judges.

The competition has been organised by novelist Suzanne Goldring, who is also among the judging panel. Her latest novel, Her Husband’s Return, was published in October by Bookouture.

Suzanne said: “The competition has uncovered exciting new voices in its first two years and we are hoping to find another hidden talent in 2026. Competitions like this offer aspiring writers great encouragement and we would urge all local writers who have risen to the challenge of writing a novel to take the plunge and enter.”

The entry deadline is December 31. The longlist will be announced on February 16, 2026, with the shortlist revealed on February 27. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on March 15.

Last year, Andrew Okey took first place for his novel Jacopo’s Contract while Caroline Davies (The Accidental Agony Aunt) and Jacqui Pack (When I Was) won second and third place respectively. Extracts can be read on the Literary Festival website.

For eligibility criteria, submission guidelines and details of the judges, visit farnhamliteraryfestival.co.uk/literary-writing-competition/.