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Allen & Unwin New Zealand announces new annual Commercial Fiction Prize

3 December 2021

Allen and Unwin New Zealand is delighted to announce the inaugural annual Allen & Unwin New Zealand Commercial Fiction Prize.

The winner will be awarded a publishing contract with an advance against royalties of  $NZ10,000.

The prize will be open to all unpublished full-length manuscripts in the commercial fiction genre between 70,000 and 100,000 words in length written by residents of New Zealand.

Both debut writers and already-published authors will be eligible to enter.

Entries are open from Wednesday 1 December 2021 and close on Friday 25 March 2022.

The winner will be announced in September 2022 and their novel will published the following year. 

Allen & Unwin NZ Publishing Director, Jenny Hellen, is excited to see what undiscovered gems the award will uncover.  Jenny says

“Long recognised by the industry for the strength of our non-fiction list, we are now on a mission to find New Zealand’s best commercial fiction authors. We know there is a real appetite for quality commercial fiction and are looking forward to discovering strong New Zealand voices and new talent.”

Allen & Unwin NZ Publisher, Michelle Hurley, adds:

“The Allen & Unwin New Zealand Commercial Fiction Prize is the perfect way to support New Zealand writers and give our readers fantastic, home-grown stories that resonate and we can’t wait to help foster Kiwi fiction writers.”

Are you the next big thing in fiction writing?

Could you be the next Jodi Picoult, Rose Carlyle or Jacqueline Bublitz? 

Is there a manuscript in your bottom drawer just waiting to be finished? Have you got a burning idea for a bestselling novel?

See more information and how to enter