Hey Essay Writers! This Prize Might Be Your Next Big Break
Remember when we were kids and someone would say, “I’ll give you $5 to eat that weird bug”? Well, what if someone offered you £4,000 to write that weird essay idea you’ve been sitting on? Plus a writing vacation in ITALY? Yeah, I thought that might get your attention!
What’s This Magic Called? The Fitzcarraldo Essay Prize!
The Fitzcarraldo Editions/Mahler & LeWitt Studios Essay Prize is back for 2025, and it’s basically the cool kid of essay competitions. They’re looking for writers who want to play with what an essay can be. No boring rules about topics—write about whatever makes your brain light up!
The best part? This isn’t for the already-famous writers with their fancy book deals. It’s for us regular folks who are still trying to get our foot in the publishing door. If you live in the UK or Ireland and haven’t secured a publishing deal yet, this one’s for you!
What Do You Win? (Spoiler: It’s Pretty Sweet)
Let me break down this prize package because it’s kind of amazing:
- £4,000 cash money (hello, rent payments while you write!)
- Up to TWO MONTHS in Spoleto, Italy to work on your book (pasta and writing, anyone?)
- Your finished essay published as an actual book by Fitzcarraldo Editions (yes, a real book with your name on it)
I’m not saying this will make your parents finally respect your career choice, but… it might help.
What Kind of Essays Are They After?
Here’s the fun part—they want essays that “explore and expand the possibilities of the essay form.” Translation: get weird with it! Be bold! Try something new!
Your essay needs to be book-length (at least 25,000 words), but beyond that, the sky’s the limit. Write about mushrooms, write about your strange neighbor, write about the history of spoons—just make it interesting and fresh.
Important Dates to Circle on Your Calendar
- Opens: January 13, 2025
- Closes: March 17, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (Don’t be that person submitting at 12:01—they won’t accept it!)
Next Steps: How to Throw Your Hat in the Ring
- Mark those dates in your calendar (set multiple alarms—I know how we writers are with deadlines)
- Start drafting your proposal now (yes, now!)
- Check out the full entry requirements on the Fitzcarraldo Editions website
- Submit before the deadline (again, March 17th!)
- Cross fingers, toes, and anything else you can cross
Ready to Change Your Writing Life?
Head over to the Fitzcarraldo Editions website for all the nitty-gritty details about how to enter. Past winners have gone on to publish amazing books, and you could be next!
Now stop reading this and go work on that proposal. That Italian writing retreat isn’t going to book itself!