Sustainable Story Award

As the climate crisis intensifies and sustainability becomes a defining issue of our time, storytelling has never been more vital. The Sustainable Story Award celebrates authors across fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature who engage with urgent environmental and social themes. By empowering authors who bring these critical topics to life, we aim to inspire change, spark dialogue, and make sustainability a central focus in contemporary literature.

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We're investing in authors whose stories shape our understanding of the global climate emergency, and the people and movements working to protect our environment.

- Dan Mucha, CEO

Meet the Judges & Mentors

  • Anna Bond

    Managing Director, Octopus Publishing Group

    Anna has spent more than 20 years in publishing working for Orion, Allen & Unwin and Pan Macmillan before joining Hachette UK in 2020 as managing Director of Octopus Publishing Group and a member of the Hachette UK Board. Anna is also a Trustee for the World Book Day Charity whose purpose is to champion the fun of reading.

  • Amanda Ridout

    Founder and CEO, Boldwood Books

    Before founding Boldwood, Amanda was CEO of Head of Zeus and MD at Phaidon, Harper Collins, and Headline, with over 40 years in publishing. She serves on the IPG Board, was Chair in 2021/22, and leads the IPG Sustainability Action Group, also co-founding the Sustainability Industry Forum to address the climate challenge.

  • Sophie Galleymore Bird

    Novelist, Editor & Consultant

    Sophie Galleymore Bird is a novelist, editor, and communications consultant for environmental organisations, currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at the University of East Anglia. She sits on the Society of Authors' sustainability steering committee and is active in the Transition Towns movement. Passionate about nature, she lives in South East Devon surrounded by wildlife.

  • Shannon Cullen

    UK Publishing Director, Walker Books

    Shannon leads the creative team at Walker Books, and has over 25 years of publishing experience, including roles at HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Quarto. She represents Walker at the Empathy Circle, an advisory group for Empathy Day, and is Vice-Chair of the Independent Publishers Guild, where she serves on the industry-wide EDI Forum to uphold the professional values of the publishing industry.

  • Piers Torday

    Award-Winning Children's Book Author

    Piers Torday is an award-winning author best known for The Last Wild series, which explores themes of biodiversity and sustainability. He writes, campaigns, and advises on eco-conscious storytelling and publishing, including sustainable theatre productions and the Society of Authors' Tree to Me campaign. Piers also serves on various literary award panels and leads the UK Society of Authors Sustainability Network.
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sustainable story awards

How It Works

Prize & Winnings

The Sustainable Story Award aims to direct resources to those in need, supporting literary and sustainable growth. The prize consists of a mixture or financial and mentor support:

  • £15,000 bursary for winner
  • 2 x £5,000 bursaries for runner
  • Mentorship from industry experts for winners, with a minimum of 2 x one hour sessions - subject to mentors' discretion

Entry Requirements

Submissions for the Sustainable Story Award are available to authors based in the UK at any stage of their careers, provided they have been published at least once before. As this is the inaugural year of the awards, the focus is on supporting authors who have already navigated the publishing process and are working on their next sustainability-focused book. Entrants must fill in our online form where they can submit:

  • A short book proposal
  • The first three chapters of their book
  • A short statement on how their work contributes to sustainability discourse

The entry process is designed to be simple and accessible to encourage diverse voices and bold new perspectives. This is FREE to enter and authors must be based in the UK.

Entries close on 6th July 2025

Judging Process

A panel of distinguished publishing leaders, authors and sustainability advocates will select the winners, ensuring the most powerful and thought-provoking works receive recognition. So far, the 2025 judging panel includes Amanda Ridout, Founder & CEO of Boldwood Books; Anna Bond, Managing Director for Octopus Publishing Group; Piers Torday, Children's Book Author; Sophie Galleymore Bird, Novelist, Editor & Consultant; and Shannon Cullen, UK Publishing Director of Walker Books, with more judges to be announced. Beyond judging, panel members will mentor the winners, offering expert guidance to help shape their careers and maximise their books' impact.

The official shorlist will be announced in August, with 6 authors shortlisted in each category (Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children's).

Winners will be announced on 10th September 2025

FAQs

Can unpublished authors enter?

As this is the inaugural year of the awards, the focus is on supporting authors who have already navigated the publishing process and are working on their next sustainability-focused book.

Can I submit more than one piece?

Authors are limited to submitting one piece of work. In the case where authors submit more than one entry, only the first one will be considered.

Who can enter?

Authors based in the UK who have been previously published at least once.

Can I enter if my story has been published before?

No, the purpose of these awards is to support authors in writing their books about sustainability. The story you submit for consideration must not have been previously published.

Are co-authored pieces allowed?

Yes, but this must be made clear on the submission form.

Do I retain the rights to my story?

Yes, you retain full rights to your story. We will only provide funds to support you in writing it.

What defines a “sustainable” story – is it the theme, setting, message?

A sustainable story explores themes related to environmental, social, or economic sustainability. It can be fiction or non-fiction and may reflect sustainability through its central message, the world it imagines, or the issues it confronts. What matters most is that the story contributes meaningfully to conversations about building a better, more resilient future. Here are a few ways sustainability might appear in your work:

  • Environmental sustainability: Stories that explore climate change, biodiversity loss, resource management, renewable energy, or the consequences of environmental neglect — whether through non-fiction analysis or speculative, dystopian, or cli-fi fiction.

  • Social sustainability: Narratives focused on justice, equality, and sustainable communities, including topics like climate justice, ecofeminism, or Indigenous rights.

  • Economic sustainability: Works that critique existing economic systems and propose or imagine alternatives — highlighting green economies, sustainable development, and the economic impacts of environmental collapse.

The strongest entries will approach these themes with originality, clarity, and purpose — inviting readers to reflect, question, and act.

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Fill in our online form with details of your story to be considerered.

Entries are open until 6th July 2025.

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