The Shortlist Sessions

We're kicking off 2026 with something special: introducing the Writers' Prize shortlisted writers. Over the next few weeks, we'll be bringing you closer to these brilliant voices, sharing readings from the work that made our shortlist. Each writer has carved out their own unique space on the page – prepare to be impressed!

First up we have Javaria Akbar and Emma Conally-Barklem.

Javaria Akbar

Javaria Akbar is British Asian freelance food writer and mum of three. She grew up in Bradford to Pakistani immigrant parents but now lives in Surrey. She has a masters in magazine journalism and has contributed to Vice, Refinery29, The Pool, Hyphen, Delish and more, alongside content writing and blogging.

Ingredients

When introvert Imaan is widowed after an arranged marriage, she is forced to come out of her shell and ends up falling for her divorced brother-in-law Veed.

Instagram @curryology

LISTEN TO JAVARIA'S READING

Emma Conally-Barklem

Emma Conally-Barklem is an author, poet and yoga teacher based in Yorkshire. Emma won the Black in White Poetry Prize 2024. She is the author of three pamphlets. She was a core poet for the BBC’s Contains Strong Language Poetry Festival 2025 and a guest on Radio 4’s Front Row. Emma won the First Chapter Award 2025. Yoga Homicide is her first novel.

Yoga Homicide

Three queer modern women, one ancient spiritual practice, who holds the knife? Less Eat, Pray, Love, more watch your back and be careful what you wish for. Spiritual when wearing the right brands, Yoga Homicide is pacy, sexy and ultimately deadly. In a world where you can be anything, be ruthless.

Contact Emma:

Email: emmaliveyoga@gmail.com 

Instagram @emmaliveyoga

LISTEN TO EMMA'S READING

We hope you enjoyed listening to our first Shortlist Session writers as much as we did! Next week, we’ll hear from two more.

If you’d like to find out more about how we help writers, do get in touch at info@thebookedit.co.uk, or browse our website for more information on our services. And hit the button below if you want to be informed about the 2026 Writers’ Prize.

PUT ME ON 2026 WRITERS' PRIZE LIST

From Manuscript to Spotlight: The Book Edit Prize Shortlist Final Week

Our shortlist spotlight series concludes with Himmi Kari and Pip Penman, two compelling voices from 2024's Writers’ Prize shortlist.

Himmi Kari

Himmi is a GP, freelance writer and poet living in London. Greatly influenced by her decade-long medical career, Himmi writes about the challenges in the NHS and the potential for improvement through public health and medical technology. She is also a communication skills tutor at Imperial Medical School and a TEDxNHS speaker coach.

Her works have been published and produced. Most recently, her short play about women’s health, ‘The Phantom Marshmallow,’ was performed at the Marylebone Theatre in November 2024.

Crash Test Doctors

Crash Test Doctors follows three newly qualified doctors as they navigate their rollercoaster first year at the notorious ‘Misery Core’ hospital. Confronted daily with the sad, sick, and dying, they must adapt quickly to the harsh realities of medicine and fight to stay compassionate in the chaos. Can they maintain their humanity or will the relentless pressures consume them?

LISTEN TO HIMMI'S READING

Pip Penman

Pip Penman is a Scottish writer from Kirkcaldy, Fife, living in New York City. She is co-founder of Women in Soccer, a professional network that advocates for women and underrepresented individuals in the soccer industry. As head of content, Pip writes Women in Soccer’s weekly newsletter with a readership of over 10,000. A Fulbright scholar, Pip completed a master’s degree at New York University. She also has a first-class degree in English Literature and History from the University of Edinburgh.

Ah Coudnae Tell

Escaping a traumatic past, identical twins Scarlet and Kirsty McLeod navigate young adulthood in Edinburgh. Struggling with her past, Scarlet spirals into alcohol-induced scandals that are shared online. Kirsty grapples with Scarlet’s destruction and a secret queer love that pulls her from her role as caretaker.

Set in 2014 and told through alternating narration, we see how technology affects their lives, which, like our own, are under constant digital surveillance.

The sisters’ loyalties are tested after Scarlet's actions lead to a devastating crime. When video footage and eyewitness accounts cannot determine who the responsible twin is, the line between reality and perception blurs.

LISTEN TO PIP'S READING

Thank you for joining us in our series celebrating the depth of talent across our shortlist. Keep following us for news of next year's prize and more opportunities for emerging writers.

TELL ME ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S PRIZE

Just a few days left to submit to the Writers' Prize!

With just a few days left to submit to the Book Edit Writers’ Prize, we wanted to highlight one of last year’s winners, British-Lebanese writer Emily Abdeni-Holman, to encourage you to submit your work.

Emily’s poetry collection, Body Tectonic, was published by Broken Sleep Books this summer. She has also contributed her poem, Where We Find Ourselves, to the Arachne Press’ Global Majority anthology. 

Emily said, ‘Winning the Book Edit Writers’ Prize was a real affirmation that Tapha (now At the Pine House) was interesting to others and might be able to make it as a book and not just my own project. It was wonderful to meet other writers: we’re still in touch and sharing updates. I feel invested in my cohort as well as trying to take my own work forward, and that was definitely also down to Rebekah and Emily’s encouragement of all of us and enthusiasm about our writing. I think the prize opens something that continues; it isn’t just a one-off event. It’s easy with writing (for me at least) to sit on a project for years on end and not propel it out into the world, and the Book Edit Writers’ Prize has been important in invigorating me to believe in the possible wider resonance of my work. So, I’m very thankful and will definitely be following this year’s Prize.’

We’re super proud of all our longlisted, shortlisted and winning writers and we hope this has inspired you to submit to 2024’s competition to see where it might take you and your writing.

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