The Kindle Storyteller Award is back for its ninth year in the UK, inviting writers of all backgrounds to share their stories through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.
This annual award shines a spotlight on self-published authors, celebrating outstanding storytelling across all genres. Whether you’re just starting out or already established, the competition is open to English-language authors aged 18 and up. The winner will take home a prize of £20,000.
Past winners include Stateside by JD Kirk and King of War by Peter Gibbons. Since taking the prize in 2024, JD Kirk has expanded his writing career, now venturing into psychological thrillers, with his debut in the genre expected later this year.
To qualify, authors must publish their work through Kindle Direct Publishing between May 1st and August 31st, and all entries must be enrolled in KDP Select for the duration of the contest.
Reader support plays a big part in the early stages. Amazon considers bestseller status and reader reviews when selecting the shortlist. From there, a panel of expert judges—including publishing professionals, Amazon Books representatives, and JD Kirk himself—will assess the finalists. They’ll look at plot strength, originality, creativity, writing style, and overall quality to determine the winner, who will be revealed in November.
Writers have until August 31st to submit their work and be in the running for this prestigious award. More details available at the website amazon.co.uk/Storyteller.