Prizes to recognise published and non-published authors

The judges have been announced for the new Comedy Women in Print Prizes.

Katy Brand, Shazia Mirza, Kathy Lette, Marian Keyes and journalist Allison Pearson will all be judging the award for published work.

Mirza said: ‘There is a need and a duty for women's voices to be heard, especially witty ones since there has been an ongoing protest against women who pursue careers in comedy. 

‘We are forever being told we are not funny, so the only way to eliminate this negative and false stereotype is to put women's work and voices out there.’

While Jenny Eclair and Susan Calman will be judging unpublished writers, alongside  Dr Jennifer Young, form Falmouth University; Fanny Blake, former fiction editor at Penguin, book blogger Lara Marshall; Karen McPherson who worked on BBC Radio 2’s Book Club; and Martha Ashby, editorial director at HarperFiction. 

Helen Lederer, who  launched the award at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, said: ‘I seem to have been banging on about this prize for years (well I have actually – OK four) but had NO idea what it meant to actually make a prize happen from nothing. Without the amazing calibre of quality judges and team members this would have remained a grumpy dream.’

The closing date for submissions is February 28. The winning author in the published category receives £2,000, while the winner of the unpublished category will receive a publishing contract and £5,000 advance with HarperFiction.

For more details about CWIP and full terms and conditions visit www.comedywomeninprint.co.uk 

Published: 13 Feb 2019