Enter Hashtag 2025

"Discovering the Next Big Voice in Children’s Fiction"

Are you the next big name in Children’s fiction? Award-winning indie publishing house Hashtag Press is on the hunt for a fresh, innovative, under-represented voice with an original story. This is your chance to join bestselling authors and a prize-winning publishing team to get your previously unpublished and debut novel traditionally published. We are looking for diverse stories with special interest in under-represented authors who are determined to kickstart a long and successful author career with the backing of an expert, passionate, hard-working team.

The winner of Hashtag 2025 will receive a comprehensive publishing deal, including full editorial support, production, marketing, PR, and sales. But that’s just the start – we’re committed to guiding the winner in building their author brand, learning how to connect with readers through social media, and planning for a long-term writing career. The winner will be given free access to education and empowerment resources via LitPR (www.literallypr.com – which is the book marketing and author branding agency run by Hashtag Press co-director Helen Lewis) including The VAULT full of webinars and tutorials on marketing, PR and branding, as well as the DIY 10-part Author Brand Coaching Course (worth over £1500!).

We’re looking for a story we feel we have to publish, and a writer ready to work hard on their author brand and book marketing, willing to build a community of readers around their work. In 2020, we launched Hashtag 2020 and published the winner Yousra Imran’s bold, unforgettable novel Hijab & Red Lipstick.

Who are we looking for?

A talented writer with an original, completed story (or very nearly completed)
Books that are diverse.
We especially want to hear from someone under-represented in publishing who brings a fresh perspective to Children’s fiction.
A writer who is willing to learn and grow, embracing the demands of modern publishing, from social media to book promotion.

What's the word count?

Young fiction: 15,000-20,000 words.

Middle-Grade fiction: 40,000 to 55,000 words.

How the Competition Works

1. Submissions
Open from February 3rd to May 1st, 2025.

Entrants must submit via email and as attachments (PDF or word) via submissions@hashtagpress.co.uk with the subject heading HASHTAG20205:

An author bio (with links to socials/website, or a statement demonstrating their willingness to learn).
A 1-page, clear, well-written synopsis of the story.
A cover letter including:

Recent comp authors and books – where would your book sit on the bookshop shelf?
A statement about where they see their author career in five years.
Who are your top three authors/books and why?

The first 30 pages of the manuscript.

2. Shortlisting

A shortlist will be announced June 2nd 2025.
Shortlisted authors will be invited to meet the team and to submit the full manuscript to proceed.

3. Winner Announcement
The winner will be announced on September 1st, 2025.

4. Publication Timeline

The winner will work closely with the Hashtag Press team on editing and production throughout 2025.
The debut novel will be published in H1 2026.

What We’re Offering

The winner will receive:

A traditional publishing deal.
A tailored marketing and PR campaign, including:
- Social media promotion.
- Outreach to reviewers and influencers.
- Author events and appearances.
Mentorship in building an author brand and engaging with readers.
Long-term opportunities for future book deals.

What We Expect from Entrants

The winning author will need to:

Be willing to engage actively in marketing and promotion, including using social media – before, during and after the book launch.
Meet deadlines

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be judged on:

Originality: Is the story fresh, innovative, and compelling?
Voice: Does the writer have a unique, authentic voice that will resonate with readers?
Under-representation: Does the author have an under-represented background or experience? Is the story itself diverse and inclusive?
Potential: Does the manuscript have the potential to become a commercial bestseller with the right support?
Writing: Are there strong writing skills? Is this going to be a page-turning book?

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#Hashtag2025