The Bath Novel Awards – International Writing Competitions

The Bath Novel Award is an annual international writing competition founded in 2013 by novelist and editor Caroline Ambrose. It was established to provide a platform for unagented and unpublished novelists, with a particular emphasis on discovering new voices in contemporary fiction. The award has since expanded to include the Bath Children's Novel Award, recognising excellence in children's literature. Its core mission is to offer tangible career opportunities for emerging writers, with prizes that include cash awards and, crucially, introductions to literary agents and publishers. The competition is distinguished by its commitment to inclusivity and its focus on the quality of the writing itself, rather than the author's prior credentials.