Fern Press and How To Academy are inviting submissions to the inaugural Fern Academy Prize, in association with Tortoise Media – a new annual non-fiction essay prize for those working at the frontier of creativity and thought. The prize aims to celebrate essays of literary merit that explore international and multicultural interests, reflecting on the universal human experience and contemporary global issues.

The Fern Academy Prize is open to unagented, unpublished writers worldwide, writing in English. The competition encourages submissions from authors who have not yet been published by a trade book publisher, including those who have previously published academic papers, articles in magazines, newspapers, or online.

The winner of the prize will receive a £3,000 cash award, publication with Tortoise Media, literary representation by RCW literary agent Laurence Laluyaux, a five-night writing course offered by Unmissable Courses, an appearance on How To Academy’s biweekly podcast, and mentorship from a Penguin Random House UK editor. Essays should be between 3,000 to 6,000 words and submissions close on 30 April 2024.

The judging panel includes Margaret Busby (Chair), Laurence Laluyaux, Mark O’Connell, and Keith Blackmore.

See link below for further details.