Entries open for the East Anglian Book Awards 2025

The prestigious East Anglian Book Awards, the annual celebration of the region’s writing and publishing talent, are now open for entries with a refreshed identity, additional award categories, and a broader regional focus.

The Awards recognise the books and writers who have been shaped by, and have helped to shape, the culture of the east of England.

Now in their eighteenth year, the awards are presented by the National Centre for Writing, in partnership with the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich City of Literature, with support from UEA’s Faculty of Arts & Humanities. The 2025 awards mark an exciting new chapter, extending eligibility to include Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire alongside longstanding members Norfolk and Suffolk.

This is a region of wide skies and wider imaginations, from urban centres to rural coastlines, steeped in history and creativity. We’re proud to champion the East as a place of words, readers, and radical ideas.

Peggy Hughes, CEO of the National Centre for Writing

New for 2025

This year introduces seven core categories, including a new award for debut novelists, further supporting emerging talent:

Fiction
Poetry
History and Tradition
Biography and Memoir
General Non-Fiction
Children’s Books
Debut Novels (new category)

From these, one title will be selected as Book of the Year, winning a £1,000 prize. Shortlists will be announced in October 2025, with the winners revealed in early 2026.

City of Literature Award

2025 also welcomes the inaugural City of Literature Award, supported by Norwich City of Literature, recognising outstanding contributions by individuals or organisations to the region’s literary ecosystem – whether through community engagement, publishing innovation or literary advocacy. Public voting is now open.

This is huge for me. It is validation that I should keep writing, and that if you really have belief and keep going, your creativity can really flourish in this region.

Ashley Hickson Lovence, last year’s Book of the Year winner

In addition to writers and publishers, this year’s campaign will highlight the crucial role of bookshops, with partners encouraging shops to celebrate the awards through promotions and displays. Peggy Hughes says:

‘Bookshops are at the heart of our reading and publishing culture, and we’re fortunate to have so many across East Anglia. Among them is a wealth of cherished independents — including Jarrolds, co-founders of the East Anglian Book Awards, who have played a pivotal role in the region’s literary life through printing, bookbinding, and bookselling since the 17th century.

‘Although their chapter with the Awards has now come to a close, Jarrolds’ lasting contribution to both the Awards and the wider literary landscape has been invaluable. As we look ahead, we’re excited to build new opportunities for readers to engage with the Awards through their local bookshops — many of whom are now continuing that same tradition of support.’

Entry requirements

To be eligible, books must:

Be published between 6 August 2024 and 5 August 2025
Be commercially available in physical bookshops
Be set predominantly in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk or Suffolk or authored by someone living in the region.

Book submissions must be delivered to East Anglian Book Awards, National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall, 115-123 King Street, Norwich NR1 1QE.

The deadline for entries is 12noon on Monday 28 July 2025.

Enter the awards

City of Literature Award

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