W&A Working-Class Writers' Prize 2026 at Writers & Artists.
The eighth W&A Working-Class Writers' Prize, run by Writers & Artists (Bloomsbury) in partnership with the Open University, the Ruppin Agency and the Society of Authors, judged by Jon Doyle (2023 winner, author of Communion).
Open to writers who consider themselves from a working-class background, aged 18+, living in the UK or ROI, with no publishing contract or agent.
Submit the opening of an unpublished prose work-in-progress in any genre, fiction or non-fiction (max 2,000 words), plus a one-page synopsis in the same .doc or .pdf, and up to 200 words on yourself and why the prize speaks to you.
One entry per person; a free writersandartists.co.uk account is needed.
Winner gets a fully catered 5-day Little Goat Barn writing retreat in North Wales with travel, mentoring with Jon Doyle and OU lecturer Joanne Reardon, a one-to-one with Jonathan Ruppin, a year's Society of Authors membership, £200, a place at a W&A event and a book bundle.
Two runners-up get mentoring and a one-to-one; all shortlisted writers get SoA membership.
Every entrant receives feedback.
No generative AI.