Northern Broadsides and Arvon invite writers from across the North of England to submit a winter-themed monologue (a speech by one character, between 2,000 – 3,000 words). The author of the winning monologue will receive a prize of £750, and their story will be read by a professional actor, distributed via the Northern Broadsides and Arvon websites, social media and podcast platforms. Two runners up will receive prizes of £250 and £100 and an Arvon online masterclass.
Creative prompt:
Your winter-themed monologue should respond to the prompt “Northern lights”.
Submission deadline: Monday 2 November 2026
- There is one prize available of £750, and the winning piece will be produced as an original podcast and posted on the Northern Broadsides and Arvon websites from Wednesday 16 December 2026 – Friday 8 January 2027
- The first runner up will receive £250, a written version of their monologue published on the Northern Broadsides and Arvon websites, and a free Arvon at Home masterclass
- The second runner up will receive £100, a written version of their monologue published on the Northern Broadsides and Arvon websites, and a free Arvon at Home masterclass
- Eligibility: Open to writers living in the North of England
Requirements:
- Between 2,000 – 3,000 words
- Original work, including no use of AI
- Must be appropriate for a general audience and suitable for the podcast format
- Must be an unpublished monologue, having not appeared in print or online.
How to enter:
- Submit your monologue as a PDF via email to info@northern-broadsides.co.uk – in your email, please include a brief bio including any relevant writing experience, and your location
- All stories are judged anonymously and therefore the writer’s name must not appear on the PDF
- Complete our anonymous Equality and Diversity Monitoring form: https://forms.gle/YQHrdaAR8mhpxDAC7
Judging process:
- All submissions will be read by a panel of readers
- Submissions will be judged on literary merit, originality and response to the brief
- Final decisions will be made by Laurie Sansom (Northern Broadsides Artistic Director) and Helen Meller (Arvon Co-Director) whose decision is final
- Once selected, the winner and runners up will be contacted by email
Terms and conditions:
- Copyright will remain with the writer. However, by entering the competition, the writer grants Northern Broadsides and Arvon the right to record and distribute the winning monologue and post the runners-up stories on their websites
- Submission of a written piece implies the author’s acceptance of the rules and conditions
- There is no restriction on theme or style but writers should respond to the prompt
- There is no fee to enter
This is a chance to showcase your writing to a wide audience and bring your monologue to life. Good luck, and we can’t wait to read your stories!
