Wattpad, a leading global webnovel platform and storytelling community, has partnered with ProWritingAid for the Novel Beginnings global competition, which supports unrepresented and unpublished authors through mentorship, editorial guidance, and financial backing. As part of the partnership, Wattpad’s content and editorial experts will host a series of writing workshops throughout the competition.
Wattpad’s Head of Content, Alessandra Ferreri, will also join the official Novel Beginnings judging panel alongside International Booker Prize judge Troy Onyango, New York Times bestselling authors Tessa Bailey and Alison Espach, and others.
Novel Beginnings invites writers from around the world to submit the first 5,000 words of an English-language YA or Adult fiction novel. One grand prize winner will receive $50,000, and nine shortlisted writers will each receive $5,000, along with expert editorial feedback and mentorship.
“Celebrating and elevating new voices in fiction is foundational to how we support authors at Wattpad,” said Alessandra Ferreri, Head of Content at Wattpad. “We are thrilled to partner with ProWritingAid to bring our content and editorial expertise to the Novel Beginnings contest, helping a new generation of storytellers hone their craft.”
To help writers prepare their submissions ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline, Wattpad and ProWritingAid will be offering expert talks, community writing sprints, and craft challenges to help participants refine their entries. Wattpad will host a series of virtual webinars through the ProWritingAid dashboard:
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Loose and Flexible Outlining: Master structural clarity without stifling your creativity.
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Story Hooks: Master showing vs. telling to create an emotional connection with your reader.
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How Character = Plot (Available March 12): Learn how your protagonist can drive the narrative of your story.
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Wattpad 101 (Available March 19): Understand how to leverage Wattpad’s global network to gain real-time feedback on your story and scale your author brand.
This partnership builds on Wattpad’s legacy of launching some of the biggest names in YA fiction. Renowned authors like Anna Todd (After), Beth Reekles (The Kissing Booth), and Ariana Godoy (Through My Window) build global fandoms for their writing on Wattpad, published their work in multiple languages, and had their stories adapted into hit global entertainment franchises.
ProWritingAid is a writing and editing platform built to help people who want to keep writing. The company serves a broad, overlooked community of aspiring and active writers who are balancing creative ambition alongside careers, families, and other responsibilities. Grounded in empathy for the realities of writing – hesitation, self-doubt, and loss of momentum – the company pairs technology with structure, feedback, and support.
For more information on Novel Beginnings and to register for the Wattpad virtual workshops, please visit the ProWritingAid Wattpad profile and ProWritingAid.com.
Source: Press Release
