Novel Slam 2026

Novel Slam is the legendary event where aspiring novelists pitch to a supportive audience and industry judges to win epic prizes!
About this Event

Novel Slam is the legendary event where aspiring novelists pitch their novels to a supportive audience and industry judges to win epic prizes. This year our winner will receive feedback on their pitch, synopsis and opening page from Alexa Von Hirschberg (Publishing Director at Weidengfelf & Nicholson).

This year our judges are:

Alexa von Hirschberg from Weidenfeld & Nicholson where she publishes literary fiction and narrative non-fiction.

Gavin Extence - best-selling novelist

Iqbal Hussain - award-winning author of adult and children's fiction

Stacey Sampson - winner of Mslexia's Novel Competition

If you want to participate:

Tickets are £10 for participants.

Participants will be asked to prepare:

1. A 60 second pitch for your novel (All participants will present this in Round 1 of the competition)

2. A 3 minute extract from your novel, ideally the opening! (Participants who are successful in Round 1 will present this in Round 2 of the competition)

Not sure how to pitch?

If you want to be an audience member:

Tickets are £5 for audience members. You'll play a vital role in voting for the participants that will go through to Round 2, so bring your supportive ears and loudest cheers for our aspiring novelists!

Organised by The Writers Workshop and Sheffield Novelists