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Enter the prize

The best stories are true: 25 years of books that matter.

How publishers can enter books for the prize

The competition is open to living authors of any nationality whose work is published in the UK in English. Self-published works, where the author is the publisher, are ineligible. Books must be published in English in the UK between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023.

Read the rules and conditions of entry.

Publishers can recommend a book for a call-in.

Key dates and process

  • Submissions open 17 April 2023
  • Submissions close 17 June 2023
  • Judges read and review the entered books
  • Judges announce 12 books for the longlist on 6 September 2023
  • The shortlist of six books is announced on 8 October 2023 live from Cheltenham Literature festival
  • The prize winner is unveiled at an award ceremony in London on 16 November 2023