Irish Writers Centre, Dublin,has now opened their 2026 International Debut Novel Competition, which gives aspiring novelists from around the world the chance to skip the slush pile and pitch their books directly to industry-leading agents and editors (either in person here in Ireland, or online).
Note: there is an entry fee for applications of €65 and NZSA recommends you carefully research the competition to see if it is right for you before taking part.
Selecting the winners
An international panel of judges review all the submissions anonymously.
Key Dates
- Submissions are open between 8am, on 1 April 2026 and 5pm, on 15 May 2026.
- The Online Prep Day will be held on the afternoon of 4 September 2026.
- Pitch Days take place on 10 (in-person) and 11 (on-line) September 2026.
Previous winners have gone on to sign with agents and publish their work with presses including Penguin Random House, Hachette, Macmillan and 4th Estate, among many others.
All information on the competition is available here: https://irishwriterscentre.ie/international-debut-novel-competition/
