The Young Walter Scott Prize

If you are aged between 11 and 19 and interested in history and writing, the Young Walter Scott Prize is ready to take you on an adventure. It is the UK’s only creative writing prize specifically for budding historical fiction writers.

Entrants must write a piece of historical fiction (between 800 and 2000 words in length) inspired by any aspect of the past – an actual historical event, place or person. Entries must be set in a time before their author was born, in a time clearly different from the present. All stories should be submitted in English. The fiction can be in any form – a story or an extract from a longer work, a poem or drama script, a fictional diary, letters or reportage.

A shortlist will be announced in February 2026 and the judges will then decide on the winners, runners-up and highly commended stories in each category. The two overall category winners will be invited to the Borders Book Festival in June 2026 to receive their prizes – a £500 travel voucher and their work published in a printed Anthology.

There is no entry fee.

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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