We are delighted to reveal the longlist for the BPA First Novel Award 2025!
We were honoured to receive so many excellent entries from talented writers across the UK and around the world. Each manuscript was carefully considered through a rigorous selection process that included five rounds of reading.
Our judging panel for 2025 features literary agents Hellie Ogden and Suzannah Ball from the WME Books agency and author Samuel Burr, author of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers.
As always, we welcomed submissions across all adult genres, with particularly strong showings in science fiction & fantasy, corporate crime, and historical fiction. Recurring themes included LGBTQIA+ narratives, dystopian and climate fiction (Cli-Fi), psychiatric wards, unlikely pairings—and, intriguingly, insect-based snacks.
This year’s longlist showcases a remarkable range of storytelling, from a former detective grappling with dementia, to toxic mentor-mentee dynamics, to a family facing ostracism in a small Cotswolds village.
The shortlist will be announced next week. Shortlisted writers will be invited to submit a further 15,000 words to accompany their original 5,000-word extract. The winner, runner-up, and a commended entrant will receive cash prizes and introductions to literary agents.
The names of the longlisted writers will be revealed alongside the final results in early October.
In the meantime, many congratulations to the authors of the following 24 promising titles:
ALL IS WELL
AN UNLIKELY SYNDICATE
A YOUNGER MAN’S CLOTHES
BOUND BY A THOUSAND THREADS
CALLING OUT
CANCELLED
COMETS
COMING CLEAN
MARA’S CALL
MOTHERLAND
NOW I SEE
ON TURNING TIDES
OUR TENDER PARTS
PENINSULAR
PROPHET
SUMMER ORPHANS
SUN OF BROKEN GLASS
THE ELOQUENCE OF HOPELESSNESS
THE FLAME MOTH
THE HOLLOW MOUNTAIN
THE NORWEGIAN GIRLS
THE SACRIFICE
THE SAME SEA
WICKED & DAMNABLE PRACTICES
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who entered the BPA First Novel Award 2025. It takes courage and commitment to finish a novel and share it with others, and we’re truly honoured to have read your work. If your name isn’t on the longlist this time, please don’t be disheartened — the overall level this year was higher than previous years. Every writer’s path is different, and every submission is a step forward. Keep going, keep writing, and know that your story matters.
We are committed to treating every submission with equal care and fairness. This year, two of our 24 longlisted titles came from authors who received one of our twenty sponsored entries, highlighting the vital role this sponsorship plays in amplifying under-represented and marginalised voices.
To thank you for entering the BPA First Novel Award 2025, we’re delighted to offer you a summer discount and special report to help you take the next step with your novel:
🔹 £50 off all full manuscript assessments (Silver / Gold / Platinum)
🔹 A tailored report on your submission package — opening 5,000 words, cover letter, and synopsis — for £190
🔹 Or a focused 5K opening extract report for just £140
These offers are available NOW through to September 30th.
To book your assessment, simply email us at info@bluepencilagency.com with your materials and let us know your intended genre. We’ll match you with an editor who’s the best fit for your work.
Finally, don’t forget that we run a second writing competition, the Pitch Prize, in the Autumn. Do look out for more details via our newsletter or social media channels.