BBBF x Pan Macmillan: Your Book Could Be Next

The Black British Book Festival and Pan Macmillan have joined forces in a groundbreaking publishing collaboration. Building on five years of headline sponsorship, we are searching for exceptional Black British writers across all genres.

Why this matters

The publishing industry needs fundamental change to become more representative of the diversity of talent and readers it serves. According to NielsenIQ BookScan data reported in The Bookseller, just fourteen Black authors appeared in the UK’s top 1,000 bestselling authors, accounting for a mere 0.9% of total market value, a decline from 1.6% (June 2026).

Talent is everywhere, but access is not. This collaboration is designed to change that.

Community-powered publishing

This is a publishing first. BBBF’s community of volunteer Community Readers will help shape the longlist, and Pan Macmillan’s editorial team will then assess the strongest submissions. Up to three books will be selected for publication by Pan Macmillan, subject to individual publishing agreements.

“For five years, our community has shown the industry that Black readers are here and Black writers are ready,” says Selina Brown, founder and CEO of the Black British Book Festival. “This collaboration puts our community at the heart of discovering the next generation of Black British voices.”

Who can apply?

To be eligible, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over
• Identify as Black (including Black African, Black Caribbean, or wider African and Caribbean diaspora heritage, as well as mixed heritage writers who identify as Black)
• Be based in the UK at the time of submission
• Be unagented in relation to the manuscript you are submitting
• Have a completed manuscript

You do not need a literary agent, publishing contacts, a big social media following or previous industry experience. Your book does not have to be about race or Black identity. Black writers should be empowered to write about everything.

What to submit

At Stage One, you’ll submit:

• Essential book details and a short pitch
• A synopsis (up to 500 words)
• A writing sample (up to 5,000 words)
• A short “Why This Book?” statement
• Three comparison titles and a short author biography

It’s free to enter, and you keep the rights to your work.

Deadline

Submissions close at 11.59pm on 30 November 2026.

You don’t need an agent. You don’t need contacts. You need a finished book and a voice of your own.