Novel Slam 2026

Aspiring novelists pitch their novels to a supportive audience and industry judges at Sheffield Plate, with prizes for the winner.

Novel Slam is a live pitching competition where aspiring novelists present their work to an audience and a panel of industry judges. In Round 1 each participant delivers a 60-second pitch, with successful contestants returning in Round 2 to read a three-minute extract, ideally from their novel's opening. The audience votes on who progresses, and the winner receives feedback on their pitch, synopsis and opening page from Publishing Director Alexa von Hirschberg. The judging panel also includes novelist Gavin Extence, author Iqbal Hussain and Mslexia Novel Competition winner Stacey Sampson.