The Libri Talent program supports the debut of new talents in Hungarian literature and is welcoming applicants for the second time this year. Launched in 2024, this groundbreaking initiative aims to give a chance to creators who have not yet published an independent volume but take their writing ambitions seriously. The application deadline is September 28, 2025, making this the last opportunity for applicants this year to submit their manuscripts.
For Hungary’s leading book retail and publishing group, nurturing the next generation of literary talent is not just a professional responsibility but a true passion. Through the program, they seek new voices and fresh stories that both uphold the tradition of quality literature and enrich contemporary Hungarian book culture.
Libri Talent Starting Line – the launchpad for new literary talents
This year, the Kezdősor program is again seeking authors who have not yet published an independent book. The expanded categories include, among others, utopian/dystopian novels, historical novels, family sagas, narrative non-fiction, and novellas. The program offers a unique opportunity: the selected talents (up to ten) will work on their manuscripts with a mentor for nearly a year while receiving a grant of HUF 2.4 million. At the end of the process, the works deemed the best will have the opportunity to be published and receive prominent visibility under Libri’s care.
One of the program’s most important pillars is personalized professional support. The list of mentors is continuously expanding, but it already includes contemporary writers who assist emerging authors, such as Anna Karády, Mór Bán, and János Lackfi, who will guide the new writers with their experience and advice.
“Perhaps I wanted to be for the new generation of writers what I very much missed when I was starting out,” says Anna Karády, who also took on mentoring duties in the previous year of Libri Talent. According to the author, in the coming months, mentors can share knowledge, inspiration, and even small professional tips and exercises with talented young writers, helping to shorten the path to becoming accomplished and prolific authors.
“It’s rewarding to see the determination of young, emerging writers, which, of course, is still mixed with a lot of uncertainty. On the one hand, they need encouragement; on the other, they also require advice on many difficult and conflict-filled situations,” summarizes Mór Bán on why he has once again taken on mentoring in the program this year.
János Lackfi, joining the program as a new mentor, shares his motivation: “I have been teaching creative writing for two and a half decades, and I still never tire of the moment when a gifted person gradually finds their voice, and suddenly everything clicks, sparking a new quality that could not have been predicted from what came before. It’s like watching an airplane taxi down the runway, and then—wow—it soars into the sky.”
During the mentoring process, authors receive feedback on their manuscripts, gain insight into the publishing process, and experience the meticulous work required to transform an idea into a fully realized, publishable book. The program aims not only to produce one-book authors but also writers who can establish themselves in the Hungarian literary scene over the long term. An important change this year is that the age limit for applicants has been raised from 35 to 40, allowing even more debut authors the opportunity to apply.
New opportunity for fairy tale writers – Libri Talent Mini
This year, Libri’s talent development program has expanded with a new competition. Talent Mini is specifically designed for fairy tale writers, inviting stories that both preserve the values of classic fairy tales and contribute to contemporary children’s literature. The opportunity is open to all applicants over 18, whether first-time writers, experienced grandparents, or seasoned storytellers. This call does not include mentoring; instead, the authors of the works judged best will receive a prize of HUF 750,000 and have the opportunity to see their work published—whether it is a story for children aged 3–8 or a “silent book,” a wordless picture book for children.
Useful links
Calls for Applications: Libri Talent Kezdősor pályázati kiírás, Libri Talent Mini pályázati kiírás
Application Portals: LIBRI TALENT MINI mesepályázat, LIBRI TALENT – Kezdősor írói ösztöndíjprogram
The program overview can be read on this website: https://www.libri.hu/talent
