Winners 2026

We’re thrilled to announce the winners of the First 5 Pages Prize for 2026, chosen by our Prize Committee with the top spots awarded by 2026 faculty member, Tiffany Yates Martin.

With1,152 entries from a wide range of genres and coming from all corners of the globe, the talent was truly impressive. The unique voices and stories made the decision incredibly tough. A big thank you to each one of you who participated. Your passion for writing shines through, and we’re grateful to have had the chance to experience your work.

We hope everyone continues to flourish in their writing!

• SWF25 First 5 Pages Grand Prize Winner:

Pair Bonding - Stella Krall (Literary Fiction)

• SWF25 First 5 Pages Second Prize Winner:

Unsigned - William Edmonds (Literary Fiction)

• SWF25 First 5 Pages Third Prize Winner:

The Actually Young Widows Support Group - Tilney Fitzpatrick (Memoir/Narrative Non-Fiction)