Competition Rules

Please send three chapters only of a historical fiction work (up to 1974), which should be a minimum of 1,500 words and a maximum of 15,000 words. Chapters come in all shapes and sizes. There is no ‘right’ length for a chapter. One aspect the judges will be looking for is how well-crafted the chapters are. Knowing what makes a good chapter is part of your job as a writer. If you decide to include a prologue this counts as one chapter.

Entries should be accompanied by a synopsis (maximum 800 words). Please upload your chapters and synopsis as one file (not two). Please use your novel title as the file name. Files should be doc, docx or pdf.

Your entry will be judged anonymously, so do not put your name on the pages of the entry. Your name should only appear on the entry form.

Please submit your work typed and double-spaced in Word, Times New Roman, 12 pt, with pages numbered.

Entries should be accompanied by the entry fee of £30 (HNS members) or £40 (non-members). Find out how to become a member here.

Ensure that you have selected the category you are entering on the form.

The closing date for the competition was 23.59 GMT 15 February 2024.

No alterations may be made to your entry once it has been submitted.

Your entry will not be returned.

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.

All entrants will be notified of the outcome of their entry via email.

Entries should be ‘historical’ – the main setting is not in the last fifty years (unless part of a historical timeslip). Historical is defined as at least fifty years before the present.

A novel is defined as being at least 80,000 words or 40,000 for a children’s historical fiction story.

Entries should be in English and should not have been published or accepted for publication in print or online. This includes traditional publication, self-publishing, and digital publication.

Entries should be fiction.

Entries should be within the minimum and maximum wordcount.

Entries should be accompanied by a synopsis (maximum 800 words).

You may be a published author with another work.

Entries should not be a translation of another author’s work.

Entries will be accepted from anywhere in the world.

One entry per person.

All categories are open to diverse cultures, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, identities.

Co-authors are welcome.

HNS Competition assessors may enter the competition, but not in the category they are assessing.

Entrants should be 18 and over.

If your submission was placed in a contest held by the Historical Novel Society, congratulations! It should not be entered in this contest / into a second contest run by the HNS and its branches. If your submission has previously been placed in another competition, unrelated to the HNS, please submit away. See our FAQs for further details.

Entries should not be solely or substantially AI-generated. AI-generated is defined as AI-generated content created by an AI-based tool, even if you applied substantial edits afterwards. AI-assisted work is acceptable. AI-assisted is defined as content you created yourself, and used AI-based tools to edit, refine, error-check, or otherwise improve that content, or if you used an AI-based tool to brainstorm and generate ideas, but ultimately created the text yourself.

Not following the eligibility rules or paying the entry fee will disqualify the entry.

Your entry will not be considered if the entry fee has not been paid.

HNS reserves the right to disqualify an entry.

FAQs

If you still have questions about entering the competition, please check out our FAQs.