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When we launched the inaugural ProWritingAid Novel Beginnings contest, we hoped it would inspire writers to take a bold step: to share the first 5,000 words of the story they’ve been dreaming of writing.
What happened exceeded anything we imagined.
Over the course of the submission period, 14,570 writers from around the world entrusted us with their stories.
They submitted literary novels and epic fantasies, mysteries and romances, speculative fiction and historical sagas. Some were lifelong writers polishing their tenth manuscript. Others were sharing their work for the very first time.
And every single submission represented the same courageous act: putting words on the page and allowing another human being to read them.
Selecting our longlist
Our team of readers spent weeks immersed in opening pages that introduced unforgettable characters, compelling worlds, and extraordinary voices.
From those 14,570 entries, we selected 183 longlisted authors, then narrowed again to just ten writers for the shortlist.
The Novel Beginnings shortlist
Making the Novel Beginnings shortlist was an incredible achievement. These writers distinguished themselves in a field of nearly fifteen thousand entries through compelling openings, memorable characters, distinctive voices, and stories that demanded to be read on.
Our ten shortlisted finalists were:
A.K. Kaizi, Burn Your Haunted House (Literary horror)
Kassi H. Hild, The Riftlings (YA fantasy)
J. Otero, Sulfur & Salt (Horror, magical realism)
Denise Wilkerson, Persistence of the Kijimuna (Historical fiction)
Emily Atke, Catherine (Psychological thriller)
Honor Vincent, Dione (Mythological fantasy)
Daniel P. Douglas, Blood Wing (Hardboiled mystery)
Herb Williams-Dalgart, Everything the Sea Brings (Historical fiction)
Matt Borg, The Gang Solve a Murder (Crime fiction)
Chantez Neymoss, Above the Waterline (Historical romance)
The quality of the shortlist impressed both the ProWritingAid team and our judging panel. As judge Troy Onyango noted:
"This was such a strong shortlist, and I must commend you and the team for choosing such creative and fully realised stories. The writers are extremely talented, and each of these are the beginnings of novels I would want to read more of."
That sentiment perfectly captured our experience throughout the judging process. These were stories that lingered in our minds long after we finished reading them.
And the winner Is...
After months of reading, deliberation, and scoring, our panel of judges selected a winner from an exceptionally competitive shortlist.
We are thrilled to announce that the winner of the inaugural Novel Beginnings Prize is Denise Wilkerson for Persistence of the Kijimuna.
Denise's historical fiction novel captivated judges with its immersive storytelling, compelling voice, and unforgettable opening pages. Her entry stood out in a competition filled with remarkable work and earned the highest combined score from our panel of expert judges.
Congratulations, Denise, on this well-deserved achievement.
The Future of Storytelling Is Bright
If there's one thing we learned from the inaugural Novel Beginnings Prize, it's that the future of storytelling is extraordinarily bright.
The thousands of submissions we received showcased the depth of talent, creativity, and passion that exists within the writing community today. From first-time novelists to experienced writers, entrants reminded us why stories matter—and why new voices deserve to be celebrated.
To everyone who entered: thank you for sharing your work with us.
And to our finalists and winner: thank you for inspiring us with the stories only you could tell.
We can't wait to see what you write next.
