We are getting a fantastic response from all you wonderful writers out there, and entries are already arriving. It’s exciting to see the submissions start piling up and we can’t wait to get reading! Thank you to everyone who has already entered, we are impressed by your enthusiasm.

As we have an exciting new flash fiction prize this year, as well as our novel writing prize, we are offering a special reduced rate for writers entering both categories. The only entry requirements for both prizes are that you are an unpublished author (you are still eligible if you have self published) and that your stories have an urban setting. We hope you’ll feel inspired to give one or both categories a go!

And if that doesn’t make you want to enter, we had a lovely email from one of our runners up, Sophie Duffy, to let us know that she has had two books published. Sophie told us that the encouragement she received from being shortlisted by the Harry Bowling Prize really helped her success. Well done to Sophie – it’s always fantastic to hear another success story from one of our entrants.