LONDON, January 26, 2026 — A groundbreaking £50,000 literary prize is offering readers an unprecedented role in discovering the next big author—and rewarding them for it. The new competition, launched by the publishing platform Libraro in partnership with Hachette UK, aims to disrupt traditional publishing gatekeeping by letting readers select the shortlist from submitted manuscripts.
A Reader-Powered Path to Publication
The Libraro prize puts the power of discovery directly into the hands of book lovers, offering substantial rewards for both authors and engaged readers.
Writers upload complete manuscripts to the Libraro platform, where readers can champion their favorite entries. This process culminates in a shortlist of six books, selected entirely by the reading public. The overall winner will receive a £50,000 prize package from Libraro, comprised of £30,000 and an additional £20,000 earmarked for marketing the finished book, alongside a publishing deal with Hachette UK.
But the rewards don’t stop there. Two additional reader prizes of £10,000 each will be awarded: one to the reader who initially referred the winning author to the platform, and another to the reader who demonstrates the most active engagement with submissions. This incentivizes a truly collaborative approach to finding new literary talent.
Industry Experts Join the Reader-Driven Process
The final winner will be chosen from the reader-generated shortlist by a panel of judges including bestselling thriller author Elly Griffiths; Deborah Maclaren, chief executive of book recommendation platform LoveReading; and book blogger Zubs J Malik. The prize is being run in partnership with Hachette UK and LoveReading, with support from organizations including the Frontline Club, New Writing North and The Reading Agency.
David Roche, chairman of Libraro, explained that the prize was created to “put power in the hands of writers and readers.” The launch comes at a time of significant growth in self-publishing, with authors like Colleen Hoover and Freida McFadden achieving massive mainstream success after initially self-publishing their work.
The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over, worldwide, regardless of prior publishing experience or representation. Shortlisted authors will receive professional support to refine their manuscripts before they are assessed by the judges, and all entrants will have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from readers.
Maclaren emphasized that the prize reflects a belief that “readers shape culture.” She added, “Through this competition, readers are not just participating in a single prize, but are part of a wider publishing ecosystem,” contributing to “expand the range and diversity of books that reach publication.”
- Entries open January 19 and close February 15.
- Reader engagement will take place from February 19 to March 20.
- The shortlist will be announced on April 21.
- The winner will be revealed on May 13.
The competition is now accepting submissions, with entries closing on February 15. Reader engagement will run from February 19 to March 20, culminating in the announcement of the shortlist on April 21 and the winner on May 13.
