Casa Carlini today announced the inaugural Carlini Prize 2028, an international competition honoring exceptional unpublished manuscripts in Fiction and Nonfiction. The prize seeks books of lasting literary, intellectual, and cultural significance—works readers will return to for years to come.

Open to writers worldwide, the Carlini Prize rewards completed manuscripts that show originality, a clear voice, and broad readership potential.

"Too many talented writers struggle to find meaningful pathways into publishing," said Charles Carlini, Founder and Publisher of Casa Carlini. "The Carlini Prize was created to discover remarkable books and help bring them into the world."

Prize Structure

Winners in each category (Fiction and Nonfiction) receive a $1,000 cash prize, editorial development, consideration for publication, and promotional support. One manuscript will be named Grand Prize Winner and 2028 Carlini Book of the Year, earning an additional $2,500. Each category also names a runner-up, who receives $500 and a formal editorial report.

Categories

Fiction: Novels, short story collections, literary fiction, historical fiction, and crime, mystery, or suspense of exceptional quality.

Nonfiction: History, biography, memoir, science, current affairs, cultural criticism, and narrative journalism for general readers.

A Publishing Pipeline

Unlike most competitions, the Carlini Prize guarantees at least one winning manuscript a publication offer, subject to standard editorial review. Select finalists may also join the Casa Carlini Fellows Program, a developmental track helping manuscripts reach publication readiness.

Judging Criteria

Anonymous submissions are evaluated by editors, authors, and publishing professionals on intellectual and cultural relevance, originality, writing quality, structural clarity, seriousness of purpose, and long-term readership potential.

Key Dates

Jan 15, 2028 – Competition opens

Jul 31, 2028 – Submission deadline

Sep 2028 – Longlist announced

Oct 2028 – Shortlist announced

Nov 2028 – Finalists announced

Dec 2028 – Winners & Grand Prize announced

Entry fees start at $55 during the Early Bird period.

Eligibility

Open internationally to writers 18 and older submitting unpublished, English-language manuscripts in Fiction or Nonfiction. Previously self-published work is not eligible.

Full guidelines: casacarlini.com/pages/the-carlini-prize-official-contest-rules

About Casa Carlini

Founded in New York, Casa Carlini is an independent publisher dedicated to literature, history, biography, science, and culture, publishing books that endure and contribute meaningfully to public conversation.