When will Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday) take place?
Friday Night Live will take place on Saturday 13th June during the gala dinner, with readings starting at 7.30pm and voting taking place at around 9pm after dessert has been served. Yes, it’s on a Saturday – but it’s still the Friday Night Live we all know and love. Humour us!
Am I eligible to enter Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday)?
All-Access Saturday or All-Access Weekend ticketholders are welcome to enter Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday). You can enter even if you’ve previously entered Friday Night Live or any other competition we’ve run, even if you were shortlisted or a finalist. You can enter with one 500-word submission in any genre.
How does the judging work? How many people will make the shortlist?
All entries will be judged by two readers and given a mark out of 10 based on the style, effectiveness of the prose, and the desire to read more. The longlist will be made from the entries with the highest overall mark across both readers.
Six entries will then be selected as finalists, to be read aloud on stage at the live final during the London Festival of Writing. A panel of agents will comment on each finalist entry – but the winner will be decided by the audience via a digital vote.
Can I enter more than once?
No, please submit one entry only for Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday). Multiple entries by the same attendee will not be reviewed and may result in your disqualification. For this reason, please read over your entry carefully before entering the competition, as you will be unable to resubmit if you later notice any typos or mistakes.
Will I receive feedback on my Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday) entry?
The only feedback provided will be given by the panel of agents at the live final. Prior to this, all judging will be performed within our team and no feedback will be shared with entrants.
What do I need to upload for Friday Night Live (but on a Saturday)?
You will need to upload the first 500 words of your manuscript by the deadline of 1pm (BST) on May 18th 2026. Please do not include your name in the upload as entries are anonymised during the judging process. Please also read over your entry carefully before entering the competition, as we will not accept resubmissions if you later notice any typos or mistakes.