Anne Brown Essay Prize

The Anne Brown Essay Prize is an annual literary award run by Wigtown Festival Company, organisers of Scotland’s National Book Town festival. The prize celebrates the art of the essay, welcoming work on any subject from writers with a connection to Scotland.

Entrants may submit any number of essays, each up to 4,000 words, on any subject. The organisers particularly welcome unpublished work, though essays published on or after 1 July 2025 are also eligible. Submissions must be entirely the entrant’s own original work, with no AI involvement at any stage of the writing or editing process.

The competition is open to writers aged 16 and over who are resident in Scotland, born in Scotland, or have a longstanding association with Scotland. A shortlist will be published on the Wigtown Book Festival website by 1 September 2026, with the winner announced during a special event at Wigtown Book Festival (25 September – 4 October 2026). Commendations may also be awarded at the judges’ discretion, though no monetary prize accompanies them.

Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.

FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.