CRAFT 2025 First Chapters Contest

The First Chapters Contest is open to all fiction writers; CRAFT is a market for adult literary fiction. Submit the first chapter or chapters of your unpublished novels/novella, up to 5,000 words.

International submissions are welcome. Work must be written in English.

Prizes

• First place will receive $2,000 and a full manuscript critique of the novel or novella, up to 100K words. Second and third place will receive $500 and $300, respectively.
• First, second, and third place will receive an agent query workshop by Annalise Errico of Ladderbird Literary Agency—Annalise will offer feedback on the first 5,000 words of the project.
• The top three excerpts will be published in CRAFT, each with an introduction by Guest Judge Alejandro Heredia.
• Each publication will include an author’s note (craft essay) written by the winning writers.

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.

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