How to Enter

Entries for the Orwell Prize for Books, 2008

The Orwell Prize aims to encourage good writing and thinking about politics, about or associated with political and moral dilemmas, problems and ideas which raise issues of public policy or political concern construed in the broadest sense (including social and cultural concerns). Writing, in other words, which strives to meet George Orwell’s ambition to ‘make political writing into an art’.

Writing must be of a kind that is aimed at or accessible to the public, and submissions will be judged equally for the excellence of their style and the originality of their content.

Two prizes are awarded annually:

The Book Prize rewards the book which is considered to most successfully embody these aspirations, whether in non-fiction or fiction.

The Journalism Prize is awarded for sustained written reportage or commentary that most successfully embodies these aspirations in whatever form.

Entries for the Orwell Prize 2009 will open on 22nd October 2008. An updated set of criteria and rules will appear on this page soon.

Last year's forms:

Entry Form - Book Prize