Your first book just got published. Now celebrate on the festival stage.
The LitFest Launchpad is your chance to be featured at the largest celebration of books, stories, and ideas in the Middle East. It was created especially for homegrown, UAE-based debut authors who have recently had their first book published by a recognised publishing house. If your work was released in 2026, this is your chance to be part of the 2027 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature line-up.
Selected writers will be invited to take part in a special panel session alongside some of the literary world’s biggest names.
So, if you’ve recently taken your first step into the world of publishing, we want to help you take the next.
Application Requirements
To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please review the following criteria carefully before submitting your application:
- You must be a UAE resident at the time of the Festival.
- You must be a debut or first-time author. This means:
- Your book must have been selected and published by an established publishing house through a traditional publishing agreement in 2026. We are unable to consider self-published titles and books for which the author paid the publisher to publish the work at this time.
- Your book must already be cleared by the National Media Authority for distribution and sale in the UAE by the submission deadline on 11:59 PM on Sunday, 15 November on to be considered.
- Your book must respect local culture and customs to be on sale in UAE bookstores and online retailers.
- You must be available in the UAE during the Festival as we are unable to cover travel or accommodation costs.
Please Note: Spaces are limited and we are unable to correspond with applicants unless they have been selected for the programme.
Apply Now
Ready to bring your story to the LitFest stage?
Click the button below to submit your application. We can’t wait to discover your voice!
