A £50,000 writing prize that turns readers into judges has been launched by Libraro in partnership with Hachette UK. The innovative scheme allows writers to upload their full manuscripts, whereupon readers can select their favourites to form a shortlist of six books. This reader-led approach aims to disrupt the traditional publishing model, putting power back in the hands of both writers and readers.
The prize is open to adult and crossover YA fiction written in English and is designed to discover new writing talent by giving readers a stake in the process. The overall winner will receive a £50,000 prize package, including a book deal with Hachette UK, while two additional reader prizes of £10,000 each will be awarded for referrals and active engagement.
A panel of judges, including bestselling thriller author Elly Griffiths, will assess the shortlist, but they won't be making all the decisions alone. The readers who championed their favourite entries have already earned a significant prize: constructive feedback from fellow book lovers. Shortlisted authors will also benefit from professional support to help them prepare their manuscripts for assessment.
The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over worldwide and marks a shift in the publishing landscape, where self-publishing success stories are becoming increasingly common. The Libraro prize reflects this trend, with readers playing a vital role in shaping the cultural narrative through book choices.
Organisers say the scheme celebrates "readers shape culture", expanding the range and diversity of books that reach publication. LoveReading's Deborah Maclaren is among those backing the initiative, highlighting its potential to create a wider publishing ecosystem where readers are not just passive consumers but active participants.
Entries for the prize open on January 19th, with reader engagement running from February 19th to March 20th. The shortlist will be announced in April and the winner revealed in May, as the £50,000 prize package is set to attract a talented pool of writers looking to make their mark in the literary world.
The prize is open to adult and crossover YA fiction written in English and is designed to discover new writing talent by giving readers a stake in the process. The overall winner will receive a £50,000 prize package, including a book deal with Hachette UK, while two additional reader prizes of £10,000 each will be awarded for referrals and active engagement.
A panel of judges, including bestselling thriller author Elly Griffiths, will assess the shortlist, but they won't be making all the decisions alone. The readers who championed their favourite entries have already earned a significant prize: constructive feedback from fellow book lovers. Shortlisted authors will also benefit from professional support to help them prepare their manuscripts for assessment.
The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over worldwide and marks a shift in the publishing landscape, where self-publishing success stories are becoming increasingly common. The Libraro prize reflects this trend, with readers playing a vital role in shaping the cultural narrative through book choices.
Organisers say the scheme celebrates "readers shape culture", expanding the range and diversity of books that reach publication. LoveReading's Deborah Maclaren is among those backing the initiative, highlighting its potential to create a wider publishing ecosystem where readers are not just passive consumers but active participants.
Entries for the prize open on January 19th, with reader engagement running from February 19th to March 20th. The shortlist will be announced in April and the winner revealed in May, as the £50,000 prize package is set to attract a talented pool of writers looking to make their mark in the literary world.
another writing competition, just great 
ugh, another chance for publishers to get rich off us readers... but i guess its kinda cool that readers can actually influence the selection process 
the £10k prizes are nice tho 
hope some of those writers make it big 
cant wait for the shortlist to be announced and watch all these books bomb 
finally, something that doesn't feel like it's being dictated by some faceless publishing execs... I mean, who wouldn't want to be a part of deciding which books get published?! It's about time we give readers some power, right? 
I just hope they don't make the shortlist too hard for us non-pros to crack, lol! 
And £10k reader prizes? Win-win! Can't wait to see what all the fuss is about... my reading list just got a whole lot more interesting 
just think about it, readers getting to choose what books get published... it's like, we finally get to influence the stories that shape our culture 
and it's all happening online. no need for fancy book festivals or events, just us, with our laptops and bookmarks 
. I mean, who wouldn't wanna get paid for being passionate about books? It's like, readers are already doing that on social media and online forums, so now they get a prize to show for it? And it's not just about the money, it's about getting your work out there too. I don’t know if I'd want to write a whole manuscript and share it with the world, but if people are excited enough to support me, then maybe that's a good thing? It feels like a bit of a change from traditional publishing, which can be super competitive. But hey, if readers wanna shape the literary landscape, who am I to argue? 
its like, can't u just self publish or get a book deal like normal? and what's with the readers being judges? r u serious? 
we're just gonna give them all that power just cuz...btw have u read any of elly griffiths books tho? they're not bad 
I think this £50k writing prize thingy is kinda cool 
. It's like, readers get to be judges too, which means they can help pick winners and also get some awesome feedback from other book lovers 
. Plus, it's all about giving writers more power and getting them involved in the process - that sounds like a win-win to me 
. The fact that it's open to anyone aged 18+ worldwide is also super inclusive, which is great 
. Can't wait to see what books make the shortlist and who wins the grand prize 
!
it's like, we're trying to democratize publishing, but are we also making it more exclusive? 
And with LoveReading's Deborah Maclaren on board, I know it's gonna be legit.
And the fact that writers get constructive feedback from other book lovers is just the cherry on top – it's all about collaboration and community building.
. It's all about giving power back to both writers and readers, which is so cool 
. I'm excited to see how this scheme shakes up the publishing world and brings more diverse books to light 
. I mean, even with this prize, it's still a pretty competitive market out there. And what happens to all those other writers who don't win? Are they just gonna fade away into obscurity? 
, like they're actually re-colonizing or something! Anyway, back to books... I mean, if readers get a say in what gets published, it's gotta be a good thing for diversity and all that. Like, we need more stories about people from different backgrounds, you know? 
The whole self-publishing thing is also kinda cool, it's like leveling the playing field or something. I just wish they had a similar prize for indie authors... maybe one with a smaller cash prize but still major exposure? 