How to Enter

See our criteria below and email your entry to prize@fabfaber.co.uk.

Illustration Submission Criteria

• Entries must include a portfolio of your work including a minimum of ten sample pieces of artwork OR full layouts and illustrations for a 32-page picture book.
• Please also include a link to your online portfolio, website or Instagram page.
• Entries can include text, but text is not necessary to enter the illustration competition.
• Please send your art as a PDF.
• Please include your name in the file name.
• In order to get the very most out of the prize, please do consider sending in a range of styles, such as colour spreads, black and white line work, etc. This allows you to show off the full range of your work and the multiple age groups it might appeal to. Even if your work feels more design based or older, we’d love to hear from you. Below are a few of our favourite covers to spark inspiration.

Text submission criteria

• Your submission must be a maximum of 5,000 words of text.
• There is no minimum word count and the maximum 5,000 words can be a sample of a longer work – it does not have to be a short story (though those are welcome too!)
• We strongly advise you to complete your work as much as you can, even if you do not enter the whole manuscript: after the ceremony agents will request the full manuscript, so in order to get the most out of the prize, it is best to have the whole manuscript ready to go.
• Please send in the complete story if the text is for a picture book. (Picture books should not be longer than 5000 words).
• If your text competition entry is for an illustrated book, you do not need to submit illustrations.
• Please submit the text either as a Word document or as a PDF.
• Please include your name in the file name.

General Criteria

• Please state whether you are entering a submission for the Text Prize, the Illustration Prize or both in the subject of your email.
• Please include your full name, contact number, short biography (80 words or less) and headshot (jpg or png, 5MB max filesize) in your email, along with your submission.
• Entrants must be of Black, Asian or non-white global majority ethnic background.
• Entrants must be previously unpublished. This does not include self-published authors and illustrators. Self-published entrants are eligible and encouraged to apply.
• Entries must be text or artwork for children or young adults (i.e. 1-18 years), not for adults.
• UK and Ireland residents only.
• Applicants must be over 18.
• Applicants can apply for both prizes – text and illustration – but can only submit one entry per text or art category. All entries will be acknowledged on receipt, but only longlistees will be contacted directly. Winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony, or shortly afterwards if winners are unable to attend.

If you have any queries about criteria, please email prize@fabfaber.co.uk.

What you Win

First Prize for text:

• A worldwide publishing contract.
• A free place on an online Faber Academy writing course.*
• Arranged and funded by BookTrust, the opportunity to shadow already established authors on virtual school visits.
• A behind-the-scenes BookTrust Represents weekend at Cheltenham Literary Festival (all expenses covered, this includes travel, two-night’s accommodation, meals, entrance to the festival and green-room access).

Second Prize for text:

• £500 cash prize.
• Arranged and funded by BookTrust, the opportunity to shadow already established authors on virtual school visits.

First Prize for illustration:

• One:one tutorial with Orange Beak. Orange Beak tutorials offer guidance and professional advice on your illustration or design work. From your use of material to understanding colour, looking at your drawing skills, to character design, world building, cover design, book layouts, writing . . . In short we’ll give practical and actionable advice, to help you set targets to achieve your creative goals. The tutorials are 60 minutes online including tutor preparatory work and feedback.
• A one-year Illustrator + folio membership from the Association of Illustrators, worth £225.
• Arranged and funded by BookTrust, the opportunity to shadow already established illustrators on virtual school visits.

Second Prize for illustration:

• One:one tutorial with Orange Beak. Orange Beak tutorials offer guidance and professional advice on your illustration or design work. From your use of material to understanding colour, looking at your drawing skills, to character design, world building, cover design, book layouts, writing . . . In short we’ll give practical and actionable advice, to help you set targets to achieve your creative goals. The tutorials are 60 minutes online including tutor preparatory work and feedback.
• Arranged and funded by BookTrust, the opportunity to shadow already established illustrators on virtual school visits.

Ten Illustration Prize Shortlistees will win a portfolio review:

• With an Orange Beak portfolio review we look at your portfolio overall – is your work right for the market you are targeting? Do you have continuity of style? Are there character sheets? Can we see a variety of world building? Is your visual voice strong? We will give advice and suggestions on what to add in and what to leave out. These reviews are 30 minutes online.

All Winners:

• Winners’ work will also be showcased in the FAB Prize pack that is shared with our extensive agent contact list, and other key professionals within the industry.
• We also grant access to industry events and updates via the FAB alumni network, plus access to a closed Facebook group for all our alumni.
• We also provide priority spaces on BookTrust Represent workshops.

*Terms and conditions
The free place on an online Faber Academy course can be selected from the following and is subject to availability:

Masterclass: Plotting
Masterclass: The Whole Writing Process in One Go
Masterclass: Editing
Masterclass: Synopses
Masterclass: Planning and Writing the Mirror
Masterclass: Setting
Masterclass: The Idea of Pace
Masterclass: Coming at Character from All Angles
Masterclass: Triangles and Squares in Fiction
Masterclass: The Idea of Conflict

Our Supporters

The FAB Prize is proud to be supported by BookTrust, the Association of Illustrators (AOI) and Orange Beak, who offer opportunities to our FAB Prize entrants. If you’d like to read more about children’s books and diversity, we recommend the BookTrust Represents research as well as the CLPE Reflecting Realities report.

BookTrust Represents gives support and increases the exposure of existing authors and illustrators of colour by promoting them in schools, bookshops and festivals; to inspire the next generation of children’s book creators by getting writers and illustrators of colour into schools across the country as well as offering training and mentoring to new and aspiring authors and illustrators of colour – including the fabulous FAB prize winners.

The Association of Illustrators (AOI) is the world’s leading illustration body supporting and sustaining illustrators and the illustration industry. Established in 1973 the AOI offers its 2,700+ members from around the world professional support, online resources as well as holding meet ups, webinars and events throughout the UK. The AOI has successfully campaigned to increase the standing of illustration as a profession and improve commercial and ethical conditions. With a membership that includes freelance illustrators, agents, students and colleges the AOI continues to support and educate future generations at every stage of their career.

Orange Beak Studio was founded in 2017 with a desire to share knowledge and offer insight on the world of publishing and children’s books. Founded by Maisie Paradise Shearring (an award-winning internationally published author and illustrator) and Ness Wood (an award-winning designer and art director), Orange Beak has cultivated a community of illustrators and writers, offering tutorials, mentoring, events and award opportunities.

We work with people at all stages of their creative career – from those that are brand new to it all, those that are at the early stages of their career or just graduated, to those that are established illustrators and authors. Orange Beak is here to support and enable creatively ambitious clients to move forward with their goals! Orange Beak is one of the UK’s leading children’s book tutorial and events providers, and we’re incredibly proud of the community that we’ve built over the years. With clients from all corners of the globe, we’re honoured that so many people want to spend their time with us.