Writing Grant: The PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children's and Young Adult Novelists

The PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists is offered to an author of children’s or young adult fiction for a novel in progress. Previously called the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship, the award was developed to help writers whose work is of high literary caliber and assist them in completing their novel at a crucial moment in their career. The author of the winning manuscript, selected blindly by judges unaware of nominees’ names, receives a grant of $5,000.

Deadline: Submissions will be accepted from April 15 through June 15, 2026. Submissions will close at 11:59 p.m. EST on June 15th.

 Eligibility: 

• Candidates must be writers of children’s or young adult fiction.

• Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated significant sales.

• The writer’s previously published book(s) must be published by a U.S. trade publisher. Self-published works are ineligible.

• The submitted work must be a novel in progress that will not be published prior to April 15, 2027.

• NOT eligible: Graphic novels and picture books. Manuscripts written by more than one person.

Submission guidelines:

All documents should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman, single spaced, with 1-inch margins.

This application requires two PDFs. The judges will only review the second, which asks for an outline, letter of utility, and manuscript. Please make sure these materials do not contain the author's name. Other materials are for internal use.

A first PDF containing: A 1-2 page cover letter including a 1-3 sentence summary of the project, a description of how the candidate meets the criteria for the grant, and a list of the candidate’s published novel(s) for children and/or young adults.
1-3 reviews of the candidate’s novel(s) from professional publications. These may be copies or links.
A 1-2 page letter of recommendation or support from an editor or fellow writer.

A second, anonymous PDF containing: 

• The candidate’s name should not appear anywhere on this PDF to ensure anonymity. A 2-4 page outline of the novel in progress being submitted.

• A 1-2 page description of how the funds will be used to complete the project. What will the candidate be able to accomplish with this funding that they could not do otherwise? Book sales, earnings, or other relevant information may be included here.

• A 50–75 page manuscript sample. This document should be double spaced for legibility.

Please consult our FAQ before directing any questions to awards@pen.org

Submit your entry here.