Spotlight on our 2025 Writers' Prize Judge, Janice Okoh

With just ten days left to submit to this year’s Writers’ Prize, we wanted to shine a spotlight on our fabulous judge, Janice Okoh.

Janice Okoh, photography by MAD Photography, Mark Davis

Janice is an award-winning writer whose work spans stage, screen, radio and prose. Her plays include Three Birds, which won the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition, was shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award and the Verity Bargate Award, and subsequently adapted for the screen in this year’s BBC3 hit, Just Act Normal. Her debut novel, Girl Number Eight, is forthcoming from Penguin (US) and HarperCollins (UK) in 2027, and she's currently represented by top literary agent Madeline Milburn.

Janice’s hit BBC3 drama, Just Act Normal

As someone who has navigated the journey to publication across multiple mediums, Janice brings invaluable insight to our prize.

We asked Janice to discuss what captures her attention in those opening pages, how working across different forms has shaped her storytelling, and what she's hoping to discover in this year's submissions.

1.    What draws you to a piece of writing in those crucial opening pages – what makes you want to keep reading?

Janice Okoh: What keeps me turning the page is intrigue — Who? What? When? Why? Whether it be emotional or otherwise. In the opening pages there should be at least one question the reader wants to know the answer to. For example, who did it? Why did she give him that look? Why are they not speaking? Some of these questions (called active questions) might be answered by the end of the first chapter or by the tenth. Others might not be answered until the end of the novel.

2.    You've worked across different forms – playwriting, screenwriting, and prose. How has moving between these mediums shaped the way you think about storytelling?

Janice Okoh: When I come up with an idea, I ask myself two questions. The first is what medium would best serve this story and the second is what are the chances of it being produced/published in that medium? 

When I think of ideas for TV, I think more about plot. TV needs a lot of plot. The characters are crucial and I might have a vague idea who they are, but they come afterwards. Once they are formed then they can dictate plot.

In theatre, it’s all about character and dialogue which is exciting. And plot tends to be minimal. The plot could simply be one or two plot twists or revelations.

Prose and radio are the most liberating mediums practically as there are no production costs like location (although with radio the number of characters is always restricted because it’s difficult for the audience to follow) so I save my most ambitious and crazy ideas for those mediums.

3.    The Book Edit Writers' Prize champions underrepresented and unpublished writers. What advice would you give to writers who are still finding their voice or building the confidence to share their work?

 Janice Okoh: You must share your work because doing so can help you progress your work faster, and you can get affirmation whether what you are trying to do is working well. However, only share your work when you’re ready. Sometimes I have shared my work too early and have followed a wrong direction of critiquing because I wasn’t sure of my characters or plot. I now share once I have done a really rough first draft (a zero draft) and have an idea of what I want to say even if the plot or character isn’t quite nailed down. This way, I have my core reason of writing the story to come back to when receiving conflicting critiques or too many opinions. You can weed out the feedback that resonates.

As regards to being an underrepresented writer, seek out underrepresented writer mentors because they’ll usually ‘get’ the nuances of your work. Failing this, find peers who enjoy reading novels, and who read widely, including what is selling well on the market regardless of genre or the background of the author. These peers tend to be good at giving helpful feedback and book reccomendations because they tend to get what you’re trying to do because they have read something like it.

4.    When you're developing a story, whether for stage, screen, or page, what's the element you find yourself returning to most – character, dialogue, structure, or something else entirely?

Janice Okoh: The one-page synopsis. For my second novel I had a one-page synopsis that I tweaked and developed for about a year on and off before I started writing my zero draft. When I start writing my novel, I can refer back to the one-page synopsis of the story so I loosely know what’s coming next. I didn’t work from a one-page synopsis for my first novel and I think this is probably why it took me five years to write as I didn’t have any structure and I wasn’t sure who was telling the story. I was very unsure. I have always written a one-page synopsis when writing radio plays as it’s a requirement for pitching the idea to the radio drama commissioner.

5.    Is there a book, play, or film that profoundly influenced your own approach to writing? What was it about that work that stayed with you?

 Janice Okoh: I would say the play Woolworth Farce by Enda Walsh swept me away because of the intriguing and unique world Walsh created. That play influenced my own early writing and helped me create intrigue. When I think about the play now, I think about how weird it was.

6.    What are you hoping to discover in the submissions for this year's prize? What kind of writing excites you as a reader and judge?

 Janice Okoh: As a reader, I enjoy commercial and literary fiction — from romance, to crime and bookclub. My favourite are novels that hit that sweet spot of having a strong plot but have literary qualities about them. One such book I read recently was Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall, which blew me away with all its twists and turns and tear-jerking storylines. As a judge, I’m open to any type of genre – I’m aware that romantasy and fantasy are very current so I would not be surprised to find that genre among the submissions. Anything goes really. Just as long as I am swept away by the writing and the plot is intriguing and there are no clichés.

Thank you so much, Janice! We can’t wait to read your debut novel and to find out who you have selected for the prize.

Janice provides bespoke mentoring services for writers and can be contacted via her Substack.

From Prize Winner to Published Author: Kay Inkle's Journey with Overspill

To celebrate this week’s launch of Book Edit Writers' Prize winner Kay Inkle's debut cli-fi novel, Overspill, we caught up with Kay to find out more about her novel and her path to publication.

1.    Your novel Overspill (originally titled Tipping Point) was a finalist in our inaugural Writers' Prize before securing a publishing deal. How did that recognition influence your writing journey?

Being a finalist in the Writers’ Prize came at a crucial time for me. I was on the third rewrite of the novel and starting to lose confidence in my writing as well as the hope that it would ever get anywhere. It was a massive boost to find myself in the final and to have the experience of reading aloud to an industry audience along with other authors. It gave me the energy to keep going with the rewrites and to keep submitting to competitions. The following year it was longlisted for a couple of other prizes (Retreat West first chapter and opening lines competitions). It was key that The Book Edit prize focused on writers from underrepresented backgrounds as there are so many prizes and opportunities that seem tilted towards those who are already going to have a fairly smooth path through the writing/publishing industry. As a disabled, middle aged, queer woman who writes in ways which foreground minoritised perspectives it can feel almost impossible to get taken seriously in publishing – and the rest of life!

2.    How does your background in social science research inform your fiction, particularly your approach to political satire and speculative narratives?

As a social scientist I’m always interested in the ways that structures (such as economics or culture) shape who we are, how we behave and what we think is normal or natural and, of course, the injustices that result. And while research findings and data are crucial in shaping knowledge (and hopefully social progress) the conventions of research also constrain how it is represented and who it will be read by. I have heard fiction described as the best way to tell the truth, and that really resonates with me. In fiction I write about many of the same themes that interest me as a researcher, but I have much more freedom with how I express and explore those issues. Fiction also has the potential for a much wider audience and impact than research – and many social and counter cultural movements are reinforced by fiction and other art forms.

3.    What first made you turn to cli-fi as your preferred form of storytelling?

I have always loved sci-fi (e.g. Octavia Butler) and speculative fiction (e.g. Margaret Atwood), particularly when written by women, because of the way it distils elements of our current social/political/economic system and shapes them into a future dystopia. It emphasises what is wrong with what we are doing now and where it may lead us, but it can also offer the hope for a different future. I feel a special kind of solidarity with writers and storytellers who have a critical view of the world, as well as the reassurance that I’m not a complete anomaly.

That said, I often find male writers in this genre disappointing because, despite being hailed as offering an alternative vision, they rarely apply that to women – or disabled people. To paraphrase Octavia Bulter, the women just have bigger boobs and less clothes.

As an environmentalist I think speculative fiction/cli-fi makes us inhabit the future we are creating (e.g. climate breakdown, economic and social injustice) and hopefully propels us in another direction. Up until recently I had always viewed cli-fi as inevitably futuristic and part of the speculative genre, but I’m increasingly interested in how climate can be written into other genres – folk horror is particularly pertinent for me at the moment.

4.    What do you think are the main barriers that disabled writers face?

I’d say there are four main barriers for disabled writers. The first stems from the widespread perception that disabled people are just a poor-quality version of a non-disabled person, which leads to the second assumption, that anything disabled people create will inevitably be a lesser version of a non-disabled person’s efforts (in any field). Whereas, in reality, disability is always a critical and creative relationship with the world. In order to live and survive as disabled people we navigate so many complex experiences and situations that are invisible to non-disabled people. Thirdly, there is the assumption that disabled people’s frame of reference is limited to and by disability and that we have nothing to share that relates to broader human (or planetary) experience. Years ago, I wrote a medical sci-fi novel (called Body Hack) with a disabled lesbian protagonist, and someone commented that it was targeting a “very niche market”, as if the story was only of interest or relevance to disabled lesbians. Yet nobody ever thinks that a non-disabled, straight, white man protagonist is catering to a “niche” market, even when we know that most fiction is consumed by women! Finally, so much of the writing a publishing world is not accessible to disabled people, including submission processes, courses, bookshops, events and so on. And the disability pay, education and employment gaps mean that disabled people are less likely to be able to afford to write and/or attend costly courses and events or submit to competitions. 

5.    You've had success with short fiction before this novel. How different was the process of writing and revising a full-length manuscript?

The process of writing is not massively different for me. I tend to write in creative bursts, a scene, a chapter, a section of dialogue will come to me, and I pour it out onto the page. Obviously, novel-length work involves many more of those episodes than short fiction, and there is more planning too. I get so far with a novel – a handful of scenes or chapters and then I have to make a timeline grid. I sit down for a couple of hours (usually outside with a coffee and pen and paper) and get all the key dates and events mapped out on a calendar that spans beyond the trajectory of the novel, so that even though I’m not writing in linear order there is a robust structure to hang everything from. It also ensures there are no errors in the chronology of events or characters’ lives.

For me, the real difference between novel length and short fiction arises in the editing and rewriting process. With a short story it never feels overly daunting to start a rewrite and it’s straightforward enough to undertake even quite major restructures, but with novel length work that can feel like a mountain to climb. I learnt to make it easier for myself by breaking the novel down into sections so I could feel like I was making progress and not be continually facing into an insurmountable task. But, even so, starting the next rewrite at page one, especially with a whole list of changes to make, always feels like a bit of a slog.

6.    You're not only a writer but also a handcyclist, swimmer, and Pilates instructor. How do these physical practices connect with or support your creative work?

That’s a great question – I do my best thinking and imagining when I am moving, I can’t often sit still at a desk and think or create into a screen or a blank sheet of paper. There’s something for me about movement in the body creating movement in the mind, especially outdoors. I wrote the first draft of Overspill during lockdown, every morning I’d go for a long, long handcycle (the swimming pool was closed) and the story would just unfold as I powered myself along. Then I’d get home and try and get it all onto the page. Occasionally I take a notebook with me in case I get any inspired moments that I don’t want to forget, but mostly I trust that once the story has formed in my mind I won’t forget it – and the notebook doesn’t really work for the swimming pool either!

7.    Could you share a bit about the journey to securing your publishing deal?

It was a very long process! I initially began trying to find an agent after I had completed what turned out to be the first draft and (unsurprisingly) got nowhere. I attended a couple of courses but still hadn’t really got my head around how it all worked. Three re-writes and a handful of competitions later, I started the process of trying to find an agent again. I ended up on a couple of people’s “possible” piles but got no further. I was also getting a bit sceptical about the whole “you must have an agent” thing and how it can create yet another barrier for minoritised writers (the Salt Path controversy has created some very interesting reflections on the publishing industry in that regard).

I read a couple of articles, one in Mslexia and one in the Writers and Artists Yearbook, about publishing without an agent and I found them very reassuring. I’ve published three non-fiction books with independent publishers, and I’d managed everything from the submission to the contract and it was not too difficult at all. So, I decided to submit to some independent publishers who take direct submissions as well as agented authors. SRL felt like a good fit as they are a climate positive publisher and also have a #BreakingTheSilence collection which “tackles the tough issues … opens up difficult conversations and … helps bring people together” which seemed ideal for Overspill. The process has been straightforward, inclusive and not daunting at all. Obviously, working with an independent publisher (and without an agent) there isn’t the same marketing and publicity budget as a large publisher, but then you’re unlikely to get that as an unknown author anyway. You have to be prepared to do some of the work yourself (and marketing is not my strong point), but I’d recommend this avenue to other writers who are struggling with the barriers to securing an agent.

8.    What advice would you give to other writers considering submitting to our Writers' Prize?

Definitely go ahead and submit! This could be the one! The process is very supportive and clear, and it has been designed to be as comfortable as possible for those who might be outside the writing/publishing mainstream. There is a rehearsal and pre-meet for finalists which helps to calm nerves as well as giving the opportunity to meet other writers. I really enjoyed the whole thing, and it made a huge difference to how I felt about my writing.

9.    Now that you've secured a publishing deal, what are you most looking forward to about the next stage of your writing career?

I’m excited to see what happens with Overspill, I have fantasies of a Netflix deal(!), but mostly I’m interested to see how it will be received and the kind of audience it will get. I’m keen to get dug into a completely different kind of novel next, (discussed below), but I have written about 55,000 words of the sequel to Overspill and I’d like to revisit and complete that at some point. Every now and then I contemplate another rewrite of Body Hack, but I think its moment may have passed. I also love radio drama and I have been wondering about exploring that arena more, but it definitely feels like an area where I’d need some training and some networks – it’s a very different form and I imagine a very closed industry.

10. What are you working on now?

I got half-way through the sequel to Overspill and then the menopause hit. That has definitely had an impact on my energy and creativity, but it has also made me think (and rage) a lot about the total cultural silence on menopause and the invisibility of menopausal and middle-aged women in fiction – with a few notable exceptions. I also got interested in folk horror (via radio drama) and have been exploring how that could have a feminist, cli-fi twist. So, I’m now writing a kind of psychological thriller that has elements of folk horror, the paranormal, and a feminist exploration of women’s experiences. It’s provisionally called The House and it will be no surprise to hear that the protagonist is a menopausal, wheelchair-user – although that’s where all similarities between her and me end. She’s a therapist and it turns out that she and a young client both have a childhood connection to the same, now abandoned, house where nothing is quite what it seems…

Thank you so much, Kay. Congratulations on the publication of Overspill. We wish you every success with the novel.

Want to follow in Kay’s footsteps? There are just three weeks left to submit to this year’s Writers’ Prize! For more details hit the button below.

Celebrating Success: Writers Gaining Recognition

There's something particularly rewarding about watching writers who've been part of The Book Edit Writers' Prize community go on to receive wider recognition for their work. Whether our prize was an early stepping stone or one moment among many in their writing journey, it's wonderful to see how these talented writers continue to flourish and gain the recognition they deserve. I wanted to celebrate those achievements during our 2025 prize submission window.

Joe Eurell has been making waves in the crime writing world, recently winning the prestigious CWA Emerging Dagger Award 2025 for his novel Ashland, which won the Writers’ Prize in 2023.

Joe Eurell

Satinder Chohan has just been announced as a winner of the inaugural RSL Scriptorium Award. The Royal Society of Literature's Scriptorium Award winners were chosen by a specially-convened panel of RSL Fellows who gave priority to ‘writers who do not have their own dedicated writing space and who experience barriers to their literary careers.’

Emma Connally-Barklem has published her poetry collection, Car Office, with Written Off Publishing. Emma has also been selected as one of the core poets for the BBC Contains Strong Language Festival coming to Bradford this autumn. This is a significant platform that celebrates the power of spoken word and performance poetry, and it's wonderful to see Emma gaining this recognition for her work.

Emma Connally-Barklem

Serafina Spicer-Cusack has signed with Sara Langham at David Higham Associates

Serafina Spicer-Cusack

These achievements illustrate the breadth of talent among the writers who've engaged with our prize and how their creative journeys continue to unfold in new and exciting ways.

Who’s Next?

As we continue welcoming submissions for our 2025 prize (deadline October 13th), I'm excited about discovering this year's cohort of talented writers. With Janice Okoh as our judge, I have no doubt we'll find writers ready to continue their own inspiring journeys.

Publication news from The Book Edit Writers' Prize

As we prepare for our 2025 prize with submissions opening September 1st, I wanted to share some updates from our wonderful past winners, short and longlisted writers. Starting this week, let’s look at the latest publication news.

Publishing Dreams Becoming Reality

Pavan Amara has secured a two-book deal with The Borough Press following a three-way auction. Her debut novel Mirror, Mirror – the very book that won our prize – will be published in Spring 2027.

Pavan Amara

Kay Inkle has just signed with SRL Publishing for her cli-fi debut novel Overspill.

Iqbal Hussain published his debut novel Northern Boy with Unbound Firsts in 2024. His debut children’s book, The Night I Borrowed Time, will be published in early 2026 with Penguin.

Chris Bridges published his debut Sick to Death with Avon Books to rave reviews.

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

Bren Gosling is publishing his debut novel The Streetsweeper with Troubador Books, due out next year.

Congratulations to all these wonderful writers!

Looking Forward

As we prepare for 2025 with the brilliant Janice Okoh as our judge, I'm excited to discover who will join our brilliant past winners, short and longlisted writers.

The stories above started with 1,000 words and a synopsis submitted to our prize. Your story could be next.

Submissions open September 1st.

The Book Edit Writers' Prize Returns for 2025 – And We Have Exciting News!

The Book Edit Writers' Prize is returning for 2025 – and this year promises to be special.

This prize has become something very special to me over the past five years. What started as a way to open doors for underrepresented writers has grown into a launchpad for writing careers, a confidence-builder for emerging voices, and most importantly, a community that lasts long after the submissions close.

Meet Our 2025 Judge: Janice Okoh

2025 Writers’ Prize Judge, Janice Okoh

I'm thrilled to announce that acclaimed author Janice Okoh will be judging our 2025 prize. Author of this year’s BBC3 hit drama, Just Act Normal (based on her award-winning play Three Birds) Janice brings exceptional skill in crafting compelling characters and narratives. Her understanding of voice, structure, and storytelling makes her an ideal judge for spotting emerging talent.

Why This Prize Continues to Matter

Over the past five years, I've watched this prize make a real difference to writers. Not just through the immediate benefits – though having your work read by literary agents and being published in our anthology certainly helps – but through the confidence it gives writers and the connections they make.

Just last year, one of our winners, Stephanie Torrance, told me: "The Book Edit Writer’s Prize was the first writing prize I ever entered, so winning gave me so much confidence that I can actually pursue writing as a career. The community aspect of the prize is also invaluable. I’m still in touch with winners and we keep up-to-date with each others’ progress and successes."

What You Need to Know

Submissions open: 1st September 2025
Deadline: 13th October 2025
Who can enter: British and/or UK-based unpublished novelists from communities currently underrepresented in UK publishing
What to submit: First 1,000 words of your novel, a synopsis (max 500 words), and a brief note about your writing experience
Entry fee: Absolutely nothing – this prize is completely free to enter.

What you win

This year's eight winners will all:

• Receive training in reading to a live audience, coached by Dr Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

• Read their work at a live Zoom showcase event for invited industry guests curated from The Book Edit’s wide industry network.

• Have their work professionally edited and published in an anthology sent out to all UK literary agents

• Have a recording from the showcase published on The Book Edit’s website. 

If you're considering entering, please ensure you have a complete manuscript ready. Should an agent express interest following your showcase reading, you'll need to be able to send your full novel promptly. This prize works best for writers who are ready to take advantage of the opportunities it might create.

Even if you don't win, you'll receive tailored advice on next steps and become part of a community that believes in supporting each other's work.

Start Preparing Now

While submissions don't open until September 1st, now is the perfect time to start thinking about your entry. Polish those opening 1,000 words, craft a compelling synopsis, and most importantly, trust your voice and your story.

Remember, some of our most successful winners were first-time competition entrants who almost didn't submit. The difference between published and unpublished isn't always talent – sometimes it's simply courage.

I truly believe there are incredible stories out there waiting to be discovered, and I can't wait to read yours.

Warmest wishes

Emily