Open Book is seeking writing and supporting material from writers living and working in the UK for their Unbound programme. The fee paid to successful applicants is £220.
Submissions must contain the following:
- a new, previously unpublished piece of fiction or memoir of approximately 1000 words;
- three linked writing prompts;
- three linked discussion questions;
- a link to two publicly-available (online and out of copyright) poems which in some way connect to the writing (please note: poems should not be your own work);
- a suggestion of a broad theme for your writing, and;
- a short bio (50 words max).
Important Notes
- Please submit your completed pack using the Application Form as either a Word document or Google Doc (do not submit PDFs unless the work is concrete or features other languages). If you need to submit in an alternative way, please contact amy@openbookreading.com.
- The main focus of your submission should be the c.1000-word piece of memoir or fiction. We anticipate that preparing the additional pack elements should take no more than 30-45 minutes.
- Submissions will be accepted until 12pm on Friday 26th June 2026. Submissions missing elements from the pack (see list above) will not be considered.
- Each issue of Unbound centres on a broad theme, which in the past has included home, bridges, birds, garden, work, etc. Please suggest a theme for the Unbound issue that would include your writing.
- Our readers have described Unbound and Open Book sessions as an “oasis” and “place of safety”, and as a result we will not consider work that is dark or otherwise troubling. Consider this carefully when selecting work to submit – we often receive work that is beautifully written but not right for our groups. Examples of previous content can be found here: https://openbookreading.com/unbound-writing/
How to apply
Please fill in this form to apply by 12pm on Friday 26th June 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by email. We frequently receive many more submissions than we can publish but we do (as a team) read and discuss all those we receive. As a result it can take longer to respond than you might expect so please bear with us. We will be in touch with everyone who sends us a submission.
In our efforts to platform a broad diversity of voices through the Unbound programme, we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to: writers of colour, disabled writers and those with chronic illness, neurodivergent writers, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Terms and conditions
- Successful applicants will be notified by email. Open Book will also announce selections through their social media channels and website and as such will require consent to release the names of those selected.
- While copyright of the piece will be retained by the author, the author will grant Open Book a license to reproduce the piece including but not limited to: use in the Open Book Unbound newsletter, with our online and in person groups, in podcasts produced by Open Book, as well as in other Open Book pamphlets or other publications for 24 months from publication. Open Book may produce a CD/DVD of any podcast featuring the work and the writer will consent to the use of their work for this purpose.
After selection, payment of £220 will be made on receipt of the work, and an invoice, by Open Book.