Storytrade Awards

FIRST LOOK PRIZE

The best opening chapters

in recently published fiction & nonfiction.

$500 GRAND PRIZE

Your book's most important chapter

An excellent opening chapter will captivate a reader’s attention and compel them to continue reading. On the other hand, nothing will make a reader put a book back on the shelf faster than a poorly crafted first chapter.The Storytrade First Look Prize recognizes the best opening chapters in recently published fiction and nonfiction books. Enter today to let readers know that your book is worth a first look.

Guidelines

  • Entries for the 2026 First Look Prize will open July 1st and close August 31st.

  • Winners will be announced October 1st.

  • Entry fee is $35.

  • Open to all authors & publishers, including self-published authors, university presses, & small or independent presses.

  • Please submit your first chapter only. (See FAQs below for Prologues or Prefaces.)

  • All submissions must be written in English.

  • First chapters must be from books published (or soon to be published) from 2024-2026.

Categories

Fiction

  • Children's/Middle Grade

  • Contemporary/General

  • Historical

  • Mystery/Thriller

  • Romance

  • Sci-Fi/Fantasy

  • Young Adult

Nonfiction

  • Biography/Memoir

  • General

  • Motivational/Wellness

Prizes

Winning chapters will consist of Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in each category. Winners will receive the following prize package:

  • Digital Gold, Silver, or Bronze Winner's seal to display on your book cover, author's website, or social media.

  • Printable Winner's certificate

  • Permanent listing on the First Look Prize website

  • Additional promotion through our social media accounts

All Gold winning chapters will automatically be considered for the overall Grand Prize of $500.

Judging Criteria

Entries for the Storytrade First Look Prize will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Hook and Promise

  • Craft and Originality

  • Mood and Setting

Every submission to the First Look Prize is read by human judges. You can rest assured that your words remain yours, as we do not run submissions through any AI models.

FAQs

What is the First Look Prize?
With ten categories, the First Look Prize recognizes the best opening chapters in a variety of recently published fiction and nonfiction books. Winning helps set your book apart from the crowd and encourages readers to take that all important first look. Gold winners in all categories are also automatically considered for our $500 grand prize.

Is the First Look Prize the same as the Storytrade Book Awards?
Storytrade's First Look Prize recognizes the best in opening chapters while the Storytrade Book Awards celebrates excellence in full length books by small or independent publishers and authors. You can find more about the Storytrade Book Awards at www.storytradeawards.com.

Who can enter?
The First Look Prize is open to authors and publishers, including self-published authors, university presses, and small or independent presses. Authors (or those submitting the entry) must be over 18 years old. All submissions must be in English.

When is the entry deadline and when are winners announced?
Entries for the 2026 First Look Prize will open July 1st and close August 31st. Winners will be announced October 1st.

Will I be notified of results even if I do not win?
All entrants will receive an email notification of their results shortly before winners are announced publicly.

What file formats are accepted?
Please submit your first chapter as a pdf, doc, or docx.

Will I retain the rights to my work?
Authors retain all rights to their entries. The goal of the First Look Prize is to recognize and celebrate great first chapters—not own them.

Can I submit in more than one category
Yes. Select the category or categories that best represent your book's genre. Each entry should be entered separately.

Do I really send just my first chapter?
Yes, please only send your first chapter. We have no word or page limits, but judges will not read past Chapter 1.

My book has a Prologue or Preface. Can I still enter?
Prologues or Prefaces may be included, but more weight will be given to the actual first chapter. As a rule of thumb, unless the prologue or preface is vital to the judges’ understanding of the first chapter, it need not be included.

Is my children's book eligible?
Only Children's or Middle Grade chapter books are eligible. Because this is a first chapter contest, books for very young readers that do not have chapter delineations are not eligible for the First Look Prize.

What if my book is not yet published?
All books with a publication date from 2024-2026 are eligible. For example, if your book comes out near the end of the year (after our August submission deadline), but has a publication date of 2026, it is still eligible to enter this year’s prize.

Storytrade Awards

FIRST LOOK PRIZE

Official Entry

While both print and ebooks are eligible, all first chapter entries must be in digital format. We accept PDF, doc, and docx files. PDF proofs are acceptable.If you should win, we will request a final image of your cover so that we can better promote your book.

FIRST LOOK PRIZE

Official Rules & Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

  • The First Look Prize is open to all authors and publishers including self-published authors, university presses, and small or independent presses.

  • All entries must be written in English.

  • All first chapter entries must be from books published (or soon to be published) from 2024-2026 to be eligible for the 2026 Prize.

  • We are only accepting first chapter entries electronically (pdf, doc, or docx). All other files/formats will not be opened and the entry fee will be forfeited. Please do not mail physical copies.

  • All entries are final. We will not accept additional, re-edited, or updated versions of your original entry.

  • All entries are kept confidential and shared only with our judges and awards administrators. All chapter files are deleted at the completion of each awards cycle.

  • Authors retain all rights to their entries.

ENTRY FEE

  • Payments should be made online at the time of entry. If you are having any trouble with our online entry or payment system, please email us at support[at]storytradeawards.com

  • The entry fee is $35. You are welcome to enter your chapter in more than one category for an additional entry fee.

  • Making a payment and entering your chapter does not guarantee an award. First Look Prize is a competition based on literary merit (see judging criteria). Entry fees are non-refundable.

DEADLINES

  • Entries for the First Look Prize will open July 1st and close August 31st.

  • Any entries submitted after the current year’s deadline will be automatically entered for the next year’s competition.

  • Winners will be announced October 1st.

NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS

  • All Gold, Silver, and Bronze Winners will be notified via email in September. This should ensure that Winners have plenty of time to take full advantage of their awards status for Fall and Holiday promotions. If we receive an exceptionally high volume of entries, notifications will go out near the end of the month.

  • Digital Seals for use in online book promotions, as well as printable certificates, will be made available immediately upon notification of Winners.

  • Please add our email, support[at]storytradeawards.com, to your contacts so that award notifications do not accidentally end up in your spam folder. We will also post all Winners on our website.

PRIZES

  • Often times the lines between winning first chapters are finely drawn. This is a testament to the caliber of entries and rigorous judging process we seek to achieve with the First Look Prize. Whether your chapter earns Gold, Silver, or Bronze, each distinction can set your book apart and capture the attention of potential readers.

  • One Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner will be awarded for each category.

  • One Grand Prize will be awarded to the chapter that displays exceptional literary merit, as determined by the judges. All Gold winning chapters will automatically be considered for the overall Grand Prize. In addition to their Gold Winner’s prize package, the Grand Prize recipient will receive an additional prize of $500.

  • Winners in each category will receive a prize package including a digital seal to display on your book cover or author website, printable Winner's certificate, permanent listing on the First Look Prize website, as well as additional promotion through our social media and other sources.

  • Prizes are not transferable.

JUDGES & JUDGING

  • Every submission to the First Look Prize is read by human judges. Judges are actively involved in publishing as editors, reviewers, award winning authors of fiction & nonfiction (traditional & self-published), and book sellers.

  • Entries for the First Look Prize will be judged on the following criteria: Hook and Promise, Craft and Originality, Mood and Setting.

  • Awards are not predetermined or granted by default. If a chapter, even the sole entry in its category, does not meet our criteria, no winner will be declared. Our commitment is to recognizing exceptional writing and we continually work to refine our awards process.

  • All judges’ and entrants’ information will be kept confidential. First Look Prize (or Storytrade LLC) will never sell or share such information with third parties. Winners and are welcome to promote their award through their own online and in-person events. Winners will also be publicized and archived on our website as part of their prize package.

  • Judges' decisions are final.

First Look Prize values you, our entrants, and the important voices you add to the literary world. In the spirit of fairness and legal clarity, please understand that entrants agree to indemnify and hold First Look Prize, Storytrade LLC, our partners, and team harmless from any expenses or liabilities related to your entry. It's all part of our commitment to maintaining a fair competition. As this is a competition, no refunds are offered. By entering, you confirm your understanding and agree to the terms, rules, and conditions outlined above. Thank you for being a part of the First look Prize program!