The Gibson Prize
for Christian Authors
2026
Christian Nonfiction Competition
Submit the first page of chapter one of your Christian memoirs, biographies and autobiographies, devotionals, or creative nonfiction works-in-progress, and become eligible for incredible prizes & shoutouts.
All you need is a first page and one page book summary.
Review ALL guidelines below before applying.
All entries are read & reviewed by guest judge, Scott LaPierre.
Entry fee: $20
Discount code available for newsletter subscribers!
Contest closes November 1, 2026
Why the Gibson Prize?
Christian Contests Supporting Christian Authors
Writing Contests are an amazing way to grow skills and receive feedback for unpublished manuscripts. However, while the secular world has an abundance of competitions for unpublished novels, such contests are scarcer in Christian spheres.
The vision of The Gibson Prize is to grow more contests to encourage and equip Christian Authors. By entering, you make this vision possible.
Accessible entry. Worthwhile Prizes. Kingdom Minded.
Submission Guidelines
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First page of Chapter One, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point standard font
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One-page, double-spaced, 1-inch margin, 12-point font book summary--detailing all major themes and points of your book.
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original, unpublished, unrepresented nonfiction (no poetry, cookbooks, or technical writing)
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Suitable for the Christian marketplace
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PDF file format only
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Multiple submissions accepted
Review ALL eligibility requirements and rules before applying.
First Place
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Audiobook Narration OR Reader Immersion & Story Diagnosis from Ela
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Featured interview + Name, Title of Work, and social media handles posted to stephaniejuliagibson.com and @gibson.stephaniejulia Instagram and Facebook
Second Place
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Interview + Name, Title of Work, and social media handles posted to stephaniejuliagibson.com and @gibson.stephaniejulia Instagram and Facebook
Honorable Mentions
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Top 10 entries will receive Judge feedback
Elegibility Requirements
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Entrants MUST be 18 years or older
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Entries MUST be written in English, but may be translated
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Entries MUST be suitable for the Christian marketplace.
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Any AI-generated or AI-assisted work will NOT be considered
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While entrants may be previously published, the submitted entry MUST be from an unpublished & unrepresented work
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Submission fees must be completed, and all formatting guidelines followed. Failure to comply will result in ineligibility, and the entry fee will not be refunded.
FAQ
Who can Enter? Any US-based published or unpublished author is welcome to enter an unpublished/unagented work suitable for the Christian market.
My book has a prologue/foreword. Should I submit my prologue/foreword first page, or the first page of Chapter One? You are welcome to enter whichever you feel is a stronger representation of your talent as a writer. Submit one or the other, not both.
What is the deadline for submitting? Submission window ends November 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST.
What are the fees for applying? Regular Submission fee is $20 per submission. These costs allow me to offer prizes, compensate Judges, & provide future contest opportunities. Entry fee discounts are available to newsletter subscribers!
What kinds of work can I submit? Any genre or style of nonfiction (excluding poetry, cookbooks, and technical writing) suitable for the Christian marketplace is accepted.
I don't live in the United States of America, Can I still apply? Currently, the Gibson Prize is only open to authors in the United States or Canada.
I plan on publishing my work soon. Does this disqualify me from entering? If your work is unpublished and unrepresented at the time of submission, you may enter it to the contest. However, if your work gets contracted or agented before winners are announced it will be disqualified.
Is my entry suitable for the Christian Market? Entries written from a Christian worldview and free of explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or anti-christian themes are a good fit for The Gibson Prize.
Who will be judging the contest? Each entry will be read and accessed by at least two readers. The final round of the Gibson Prize will be judged by pastor and author Scott LaPierre.
When will the results be announced? Winners and other participants will be notified via email in late January or early February 2027.