The Novelry, an online writing school, announced the winner of its The Next Big Story prize, a competition designed to discover emerging literary talent with a $100,000 award and support for developing their novel.

The contest received an impressive 22,500 submissions, with entrants submitting the first three pages of a novel, judged by a panel including Emma Roberts, Zosia Mamet, and other notable authors and influencers.

Emma Roberts and other judges highlighted the contest’s role in transforming lives by helping talented writers achieve their dream of becoming published authors.

The winner, Stella Donovan, was praised for her fresh voice and intriguing premise, and she will receive the prize money along with enrollment in The Novelry’s The Finished Novel Course, which involves working with editors and bestselling authors.

Donovan expressed her excitement and gratitude, emphasizing the importance of confidence and support from the judges in her journey as an unpublished novelist.

Finalists in the competition included Hannah Feather, Kierra Eackles, Ashmita Bhattacharjee, Rob Winslow, Carmelita Zappala, Liam Morris, and Kylie Cooper.