Submit to the Writers' Prize 2022

There’s just over a week to go until the Book Edit’s Writers’ Prize deadline on October 22!

Launched on September 12, we’re into the second year of the competition and this time we’re delighted that it will be judged by acclaimed author Dr Elizabeth Chakrabarty.

The eight talented winners will again have the chance to read their work at a live zoom showcase event in front of industry guests and Book Edit contacts.

A recording of the 2021 showcase is available here and an anthology of the extracts can be found here.

The prize is open to unpublished British and/or UK-based novelists from backgrounds and communities currently underrepresented in British publishing. Our FAQs page has more on eligibility and what we mean by underrepresented.

Elizabeth Chakrabarty, our judge for this year, published her debut novel, Lessons in Love and Other Crimes in 2021 after leaving academia to concentrate on her writing. She has since been longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize, and for the Dinesh Allirajah Prize 2022 for her short story That Last Summer.

Writers’ Prize Judge, author Elizabeth Chakrabarty

Elizabeth’s novel was inspired by her experience of a hate crime while she was working in higher education, and in a personal essay in Wasafari she writes about some of the things she was told whilst working in academia, such as that she had spelled her own name wrong and being asked if she had an arranged marriage.

In an interview with The Book Edit’s Founder, Emily Pedder, Chakrabarty has commented before that it is not surprising “just how non-diverse the publishing industry is in the UK, although that seems to be changing.”

The Book Edit Writers’ Prize aims to support those talented writers who might not otherwise have access to the industry. For the chance to have your work judged by Charkrabarty, all you need to submit is the first 1,000 words of your novel. For full competition details, dates and submission guidelines follow this link. The competition closes on 22nd October.

This competition is completely free to enter, and all entrants will receive advice on other options including courses, mentoring and editing (so you can’t lose!).

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

The Book Edit Writers' Prize 2022 is Launching Soon!

Coming soon: launch of The Book Edit Writers’ Prize 2022

2022 Writers’ Prize Judge, Elizabeth Chakrabarty. Photo by Jason Keith

The Book Edit Writers’ Prize 2022 opens for applications on September 12 and this year we are thrilled to announce that the prize will be judged by the writer Elizabeth Chakrabarty.

Elizabeth is an interdisciplinary writer using creative and critical writing, besides performance, to explore themes of race, gender and sexuality. Her debut novel Lessons in Love and Other Crimes, inspired by experience of race hate crime, was published in 2021 by the Indigo Press, along with her essay, On Closure and Crime. In 2022 Lessons in Love and Other Crimes was longlisted for both the Desmond Elliott Prize, and also the Polari First Book Prize. Elizabeth was also shortlisted for the Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction 2022, for her story ‘That Last Summer’ published in The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction 2022: Crime Stories by Comma Press.

“The quest to become a published author involves showing your work to
those who might help make that dream a reality. Being one of the
Writers’ Prize winners gave me the opportunity to present my fiction to
an audience of publishing professionals. And for that I’m grateful.”

— William Cairns, a winner of The Book Edit Writers' Prize 2021

Aiming to support talented writers who might not otherwise have access to the industry, The Book Edit’s Writers’ Prize is a writing competition for unpublished British and/or UK-based novelists from backgrounds and communities currently under-represented in UK publishing.

Mich Maroney, one of the 8 winners of The Book Edit Writers’ Prize 2021

“After getting over the initial shock of winning, it was just fantastic to feel that my voice was being heard...and also meeting my fellow writers - a very diverse group - was also fantastic...thank you very much, The Book Edit!”

— Mich Maroney, a winner of The Book Edit Writers' Prize 2021

Eight lucky winners will have the chance to read their work at a live Zoom showcase event in front of industry guests and The Book Edit contacts. After the event, an anthology of the readings will be published online. 

“The Book Edit Writer’s Prize is a great opportunity for new writers...”

— Deepa Anappara, author of the acclaimed Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

Winners will have the opportunity to rehearse and train for the showcase event with writer, editor and Novel Studio tutor, Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone.

And even if you aren’t one of the lucky winners, it’s a competition you can’t lose: completely free to enter, all entrants will receive advice on other options including courses, mentoring and editing.

All you need to submit is the first 1,000 words of your novel. For full competition details, judges, dates and submission guidelines follow this link.

The competition opens on Monday 12th September 2022, with a deadline of midnight on the 22nd October 2022. The Book Edit can’t wait to read your submissions and share your talent!

Announcing the Book Edit Writers' Prize Shortlist 2021!

Twenty writers have been shortlisted for the inaugural annual Book Edit Writers’ Prize.

The Book Edit Writers’ Prize is a national competition open to unagented, UK-based writers from communities underrepresented in publishing. Aimed at those who might not otherwise have access to the industry, the Writers’ Prize was set up to help talented writers get their work in front of an audience of top literary agents.

Entrants were invited to submit the first 1000 words of an already completed novel, along with a synopsis and statement about their writing experience. We received a huge number of entries and were humbled by the level of talent we found. Thank you to everyone who put themselves forward for this competition.

Speaking about the prize, co-judge Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone said “Reading the entries for The Book Edit Writers' Prize was a real pleasure. There was such a diverse range of genres and voices and I was incredibly impressed by the potential and energy of so many of the entries. What a privilege to get to read so many exciting new works.” 

The final winners will be announced later this week with a special online showcase for industry guests on 24th November. All the winning entries will also be published in an online anthology to accessed via The Book Edit’s website after the showcase.

THE SHORTLISTED WRITERS ARE:

All the Time it Took by Dawn Nicholson

Anna by Cheryl Baden-Powell

Faith(ful) by Erin MacDonald

Fame by Malachi McIntosh

Giveaway Bride by Ibrahim Babátundé Ibrahim

Ink, Blood, Brick, Bone by Mich Maroney

Lingam by Meera Betab

Little Blasphemies by Nish Hegde

Parahumanity by Hannah Hoare

September and Miller by Tawnya Renelle

Slanted i by Shane Lowe

The Middle Women by N W Shuker

The Nightmarket by Heather Palmer

The Secrets We Keep in the Dark by Samantha Fisher

The Shook House by Kieran J Close

The Sound of No Shore by Barsa Ray

The Street Sweeper by Bren Gosling

The Things We Don't by Mairi Sutherland

Tipping Point by Kay Inckle

Uphill Struggle by William Cairns

Congratulations to all our fabulous shortlisted writers and watch this space for announcements later in the week about our final winners!

---

Author Spotlight: Hannah Begbie

One of the joys of editing is working with talented writers and watching them flourish. The Book Edit is extremely proud to have worked with some fabulous authors and to have played a part in their journeys. As The Book Edit Writers’ Prize gets underway, we want to draw attention to some of the writers we have worked with as inspiration for those eager to follow in their footsteps and Hannah Begbie is the first of our award-winning novelists to take the spotlight.

Author of Mother, 2018, winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award, and Blurred Lines, 2020, both Harper Collins, Hannah Begbie’s work is sharp, compelling and relevant. A writer who is definitely one-to-watch, The Book Edit was delighted to work with Hannah as her writing journey first took flight.

As Hannah puts it, ‘In those uncertain months before securing an agent and then publisher, Emily’s work as editor on my manuscript was crucial. Her notes were always perceptive and challenging but framed with real encouragement and support. I was lucky to have someone so talented helping me take my story forward: Emily deserves real credit for the fact that it’s being published.’    

Currently writing her third novel, Hannah’s first two have been met with huge critical acclaim. Mother examines the complexities of motherhood with the additional difficulty of having a child with cystic fibrosis and Blurred Lines tackles the film industry’s darker truths, fast becoming a classic of the #metoo era (Read our review of Blurred Lines here). Exacting and fearless, Hannah’s work is both searing and filled with human warmth. If you haven’t read her yet, you are in for a treat. The Book Edit couldn’t be more proud to have supported Hannah at the early stages of her career.

For a chance to share your work with the industry and follow in Hannah Begbie’s footsteps, enter The Book Edit Writers Prize. Aimed at supporting talented writers who might not otherwise have access to the industry, the prize is open to unpublished novelists from communities and backgrounds currently underrepresented in British publishing. Enter before midnight on 22 October 2021. And don’t forget to look out for our next author spotlight.