Young Romantics essayists can choose between the following questions:
1. Mary Shelley’s The Last Man imagines a plague which all but wipes out the human race. What is the appeal of dystopias in literature?
2. ‘The most successful writers are both insiders and outsiders.’ Do you agree?
Essay Rules
Essays must be no shorter than 750 words and no longer than 1000, including quotations.
Essays must be original works. Plagiarism will not be accepted - including AI-generated work. They must not have been published previously, either in print or online or in any other media, nor previously submitted to us. All sources must be acknowledged.
Essay judge Professor Sharon Ruston writes: ‘I want to read a well-organised, lively, and well-expressed essay. It should be arguing a point and offer persuasive evidence in its case. We are also looking for someone who has a creative interest in Keats, Shelley and their circle.’
Entry is free.
Prize Deadline: 10am (GMT) on Monday 2 February 2026
• All entries must be submitted via the website.
• Entrants must be aged 16 on 31 August 2025 and not older than 18 on 31 August 2026
• Please do not put your name on the entry. Poems and essays are sent to the judges anonymously.
• Please put the title of your poem or essay at the top of the page.
• Entries may be submitted from any part of the world but must be in English and in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
Click the green button below and complete the Entry Form.
Remember to attach your entry and click the box agreeing to the GDPR and Copyright conditions. To complete the process, click the green ‘Submit Prize Entry’ button.
Your ID number will appear. This is confirmation that your entry has been received. Please make a note of it.
Have a question about 2025-26’s Prize? Email: prizes@keats-shelley.org