The Anne Brown Essay Prize

The Anne Brown Essay Prize awards £1500 for the best literary essay by a writer in or from Scotland.

The 2024 prize will launch 1 November 2023. Entries will close 31 March 2024.

Constant and dedicated champion of the Book Festival since its inception, the Essay Prize was established in honour of Anne Brown’s contribution within Wigtown as well as her astonishing career and her cultivation of new talent in journalism.

In partnership with The Herald

Terms and Conditions

• 4000 word limit
  
  
• Entrants must be aged over 16 and resident in Scotland, born in Scotland or have a longstanding association with Scotland. The judges’ decision in interpreting these conditions is final. Entrants are invited to seek advice if in doubt over eligibility.
  
  
• Essays may be on any subject
  
  
• There is no entry fee
  
  
• There is no limit to the number of essays that entrants can submit.
  
  
• The organisers especially welcome unpublished essays. Published authors and their publishers are also invited to submit work published no earlier than 1 July 2021.
  
  
• Entries should be emailed as a word or PDF file attachment to [email protected]. Please include your name, address, email address and telephone number in the body of the email - NOT within the essay document.
  
  
• Submissions for the 2023 prize are now closed. The 2024 prize launches 1 November 2023
  
  

Additional Terms

• The judging panel has sole interpretation of what constitutes an essay.
  
  
• Winning entrants will be expected to give reasonable assistance in any promotion associated with the prize - for example, agreeing to be interviewed by the press.
  
  
• In addition to the winning essay, commendations may be given at the discretion of the judges, though no monetary prize will be awarded.
  
  
• Salaried staff and current Trustees of Wigtown Festival Company may not enter the competition. Freelancers who have received payment for Wigtown Book Festival are eligible to enter.
  
  
• The prize is administered by Wigtown Festival Company on behalf of the family of Anne Brown. The organisers admit no liability for any losses or damages arising from participation in this competition. Entrants are expected to ensure that entries conform to the laws on copyright and defamation.
  
  
• The organisers reserve the right to amend or waive any of these terms and conditions.