Refugees and migrants make hugely valuable contributions to our arts, culture and society. They have multiple, counterpointed perspectives that often combine different languages, geographies and cultural outlooks, resulting in new ways of seeing and questioning. Within the context of rising xenophobia and the brutal enforcement of borders, it is vital to keep platforming and amplifying these voices; to use the power of storytelling to combat a culture of division and polarisation. Literature, after all, is as much about bearing witness as it is about reimagining the world. 

With that in mind, we are proud to present the Footnote x Counterpoints Writing Prize for writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds. We very much see migration as an ongoing human condition, and the history of humanity as a history of migration. The prize is for narrative non-fiction, centred around themes of displacement, identity and/or resistance. We welcome eclectic and expansive interpretations of displacement, identity and/or resistance. We are especially interested in work that sits at intersections, or across cultures, communities and borders, moving beyond the personal to touch upon some of the key social and political themes of our times.

Submissions must be for narrative non-fiction, centred around themes of displacement, identity and/or resistance. Footnote and Counterpoints welcome eclectic and expansive interpretations of displacement, identity and/or resistance and are especially interested in work that sits at intersections, or across cultures, communities and borders, moving beyond the personal to touch upon some of the key social and political themes of our times. 

Anyone from a refugee or migrant background is eligible to submit an entry for the Prize if they are resident in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, whether they have previously been published or not. Both agented and unagented submissions are welcome.

Submission Guidelines 

1. Submissions must consist of a sample of 8,000 to 10,000 words and a detailed proposal of c. 3,000 words, as well as a one-page cover letter.  
2. Your proposal must include the genre, subject matter, scope, style and structure of the proposed book and include an estimated word count for the fully written book, as well as the date by which you think you would be able to deliver the fully written book. You must be able to deliver a fully-written manuscript of 65,000-85,000 words before 30 March 2025.   
3. You can find Footnote’s standard book proposal guidelines here: FxC Prize Proposal Guidelines. When submitting your entry, please also include a short covering letter including your name, contact details, a brief biography of c. 200 words, including information on your refugee or migrant background, and any relevant information such as any previously published works, agent details (if relevant), any social media accounts, prizes won or nominated for etc. The covering letter should be part of the same document as your submission.    
4. Additionally, we will also require a 30-60 second video introduction (no need for specialist equipment, fine to just use a mobile phone or webcam) to yourself and/or your work.  
5. Proposals and samples must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents and preferably be double-spaced and in Times New Roman typeface of 12 point font.   
6. The closing date for entries is 5pm GMT on 1 October 2023, and the winners and two runners-up will be announced in March 2024. A panel of three judges will be announced this August. 
7. Applicants should read the full Terms and Conditions before sending in any work.
8. To enter, please email your submission to: prizesubmission@footnotepress.com 

Please read these eligibility and entry rules (collectively the “Terms and Conditions”) carefully before submitting your entry to be considered for the 2023-24 Footnote x Counterpoints Writing Prize (the “Prize”). 

By submitting an entry for the Prize you accept the Terms and Conditions. 

For any queries not covered below, please email prizesubmission@footnotepress.com  

Eligibility 

1. Anyone from a refugee or migrant background is eligible to submit an entry for the Prize if they are a resident of the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland whether they have previously been published or not.
2. We have deliberately refrained from setting any parameters as to what constitutes a refugee or migrant background. You are welcome to submit your work if you identify as being from a refugee or migrant background, and to define your own connection to these terms.
3. Unfortunately due to legal constraints, we can only consider proposals from writers with settled status / leave to remain in the UK. 
4. There is no age restriction on who can submit an entry for the Prize but if you are aged 18 or under then those with responsibility for you must also confirm their agreement to your entry.
5. We welcome both agented and unagented submissions.
6. The submission and proposal for your book must be for narrative non-fiction, centred around themes of displacement, identity and/or resistance. We welcome eclectic and expansive interpretations of displacement, identity and/or resistance. We are especially interested in work that sits at intersections, or across cultures, communities and borders, and which moves beyond the personal to touch upon some of the key social and political themes of our day.
7. The submission itself (or any abridged or extended version of it) must not have been published before whether that was by a publisher or by the writer themselves or have been published by anyone else anywhere in the world including online on the Internet.
8. The decision of Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts as to whether a submission is eligible shall be final. 

Rules of entry and conditions of the prize 

1. The winner will be offered:
   1. a cash prize of £10,000 which will be paid out in two equal instalments: the first instalment upon acceptance of the Prize and once a publication agreement has been signed with Footnote Press; and, the second instalment will be payable on acceptance by Footnote Press of the final, completed manuscript of the book;
   2. a publishing contract with Footnote Press with a £5,000 advance (to be earned from royalties on future sales of the book), which will be payable on first print publication by Footnote Press of the book;
   3. editorial feedback from Footnote Press;
   4. a paid-for week-long writing residency to the Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking, subject to availability and subject to additional separate terms and conditions which must be redeemed by December 2024.
   5. Footnote will also be working with London’s literature development agency Spread the Word to host an e-workshop on developing a career as a writer and 1–2–1 meetings to provide ongoing support with the winning writers, as well as access to their programme of workshops and events. 
2. Shortlisted writers will also be invited to a live event in February 2024 at the Southbank Centre, London to read from and discuss their entry for the Prize for which all reasonable expenses will be covered where agreed in advance by Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts. By submitting their entry for the Prize, entrants are committing to participating in this event if they are invited to do so. The decision of Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts as to the list of confirmed invitees is final.
3. Proposals must be submitted by 5pm GMT on 1 October, 2023.
4. Proposals must be for books written originally in the English language.
5. Proposals must be submitted directly by the person who has written them and that person must be a living person at the date the Prize is awarded and at the date the winning book is published unless Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts decide otherwise in their sole discretion.
6. Each entrant may only submit one entry for the Prize.
7. Entries for books written by more than one person will not be accepted.
8. Proposals and sample material must not have been previously published/self-published or otherwise made publicly available by anyone in any manner, format or country anywhere in the world including online on the Internet.
9. Proposals being currently considered by other publishers must be withdrawn from those publishers before being entered into the Prize. Any proposals which at any time during the running of the Prize are found to be in the process of being considered for publication by another publisher or which are subject to an offer by or are under contract to another publisher shall be immediately disqualified. The decision of Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts in this matter is final and no correspondence shall be entered into in this regard.
10. The book being proposed must be the entrant’s own original creation, must not be copied from anywhere else and must not infringe any right, including copyright, of any person or entity nor breach any duty of confidentiality or any other right of any person, including libel, and must not breach the law in any way including being considered an obscene publication.
11. It is a strict condition of winning the Prize that the proposed winner enters into a contract with Footnote Press on its customary author agreement terms to grant Footnote Press exclusive print volume, audio, eBook, translation and serial rights throughout the world in all languages together with all other rights detailed in the contract. The Prize cannot be awarded to anyone who does not enter into a contract with Footnote Press.
12. Footnote Press will have the exclusive right to publish the winning entry once it has been completed, but it shall be under no obligation to do so.
13. It is a strict condition of entry to the Prize that all entrants grant Footnote Press the right of first refusal to publish their submissions for the Prize, and Footnote Press’ right of first refusal continues until the winner of the Prize is announced.
14. If after entering into a contract with Footnote Press the winner of the Prize wishes to withdraw from the contract, they will be required to repay all sums received by them before their withdrawal and no further sums will be paid to them and in such case they will be considered to have rejected the Prize and all elements of it.
15. It is a strict condition of entry to the Prize that the proposed winner accepts that they will be contractually obliged to deliver to Footnote Press no later than 28 February 2025 a full-length book of 65,000-85,000 words which is in line with the submission requirements detailed in these Terms and Conditions and which is suitable to be published as determined by Footnote Press on the terms set out in the publishing contract. As part of the contract the proposed winner must be:
    1. prepared to undertake all necessary editorial work required to ensure a completed book is ready for publication by Footnote Press; and,
    2. be prepared to undertake publicity and promotional responsibilities as specified in the contract for the winning book – reasonable expenses for such publicity and promotion will be paid for by Footnote Press where agreed in advance.
16. The winner of the Prize will be notified by March 2024. By submitting an entry for the Prize, all entrants agree that, except where prohibited by law, Footnote Press and the other partners or stakeholders involved in the running of the Prize shall have the right to use the winning entrant’s name, likeness, biographical information, and any proposed title of the winning book for advertising, promotion and publicity purposes without needing further permission from the entrant and without needing to make any further payment to the entrant or anyone else.
17. The shortlisted entrants for the Prize may also be offered the opportunity at the sole discretion of Footnote Press to discuss their proposed book with an editor from Footnote Press.
18. If entrants have not received a response from Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts by 29 February 2024, unfortunately they have not been shortlisted for the Prize. Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts will keep all information securely until this date at which point all personal information of entrants will be deleted and destroyed from all relevant systems. All entrants give the right to Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts to hold, store and process the personal information they have provided purely for the purposes of administering the Prize. All entrants authorise Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts to contact them in respect of the Prize and its administration.
19. Entrants will always retain ownership of the copyright to their submission and proposal, but by submitting an entry to the Prize, each shortlisted entrant allows Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts at no extra cost to publicly use their submission and/or proposal or any parts of them in any way which is related to the Prize including for publicity or other materials without the need for Footnote Press or Counterpoints Arts to obtain any further permission, consent or approval from the entrant or anyone else.
20. Any personal information given will be used solely for reviewing entrants’ submissions and will not be passed on to any party not involved in the running or administration of the Prize without the entrant’s consent. Footnote Press’ privacy policy can be found here. 
21. By entering a submission for the Prize, all entrants agree that the Prize is non-transferable and no alternatives are available.
22. Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts reserve the right to actively invite anyone it chooses to submit an entry for the Prize.
23. Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts reserve the right to not award the Prize or to withdraw the Prize at any time for any reason without any liability.
24. Entries that are incomplete, or for which their electronic files are corrupt or entries which are submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
25. The decision of the judges of the Prize is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the judging or submission process.
26. Only submissions which meet all Terms and Conditions will be considered.
27. By submitting an entry to the Prize, each entrant agrees to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.
28. Unless required by law, Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts will not be responsible for any loss, costs, expenses or any other liability of any nature which may be suffered by entrants in connection with the Prize or any change to the Terms and Conditions or the holding or cancelling of any announcements related to the Prize. Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts reserve the right to cancel the Prize or to alter the Terms and Conditions at any time and for any reason.
29. The Prize, the administration of it, the assessment criteria, these Terms and Conditions and all other matters of whatever nature relating to the Prize and any disputes relating to the same shall be governed by English law and all entrants agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.