Young Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2024

If you are aged between 11 and 19 and interested in history and writing, the Young Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2024 (YWSP) is ready to take you on an adventure! They are the UK’s only creative writing prize specifically for budding historical fiction writers. You could win a £500 travel grant, tickets to one of the UK’s best book festivals, and the chance to see your own work in print in a special anthology.

Honoring the remarkable legacy of Sir Walter Scott, often regarded as the founding father of the historical novel, the Walter Prize for Historical Fiction stands as one of the most prestigious literary awards globally. Now celebrating its fifteenth year, this esteemed prize is distinguished not only by its substantial total value of over £30,000 but also by its unique focus on recognizing and rewarding writing of exceptional quality that vividly brings the past to life. This accolade highlights the importance of historical fiction in enriching our understanding of different eras through compelling narratives and meticulous research, ensuring that the art of storytelling set in historical contexts continues to receive the recognition and appreciation it deserves.

Prizes of Walter Scott Prize

• The two overall category winners will be invited to the Borders Book Festival in June 2025 to receive their prizes – a £500 travel voucher and their work published in our printed Anthology.

Check : AAUW Career Development Grants 2025 (Funding available)

Eligibility for Walter Scott Prize

• Open to young writers aged between 11 and 19.
• Stories must be between 800 and 2,000 words and set in a time before you were born.

Also Check : AACR June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism 2025 ($5,000 cash award)

Judging Criteria

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Historical relevance and accuracy
• Originality
• Plot
• Characterisation
• Language
• Attention to detail
• Enjoyment

Application

Submit by the closing date of October 31, 2024.

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