Enright to judge 2023 Sunday Times Young Writer Award

The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award has announced writer Anne Enright and poet Daljit Nagra will help to judge its third year, continuing with a boosted prize package.

Sponsored by the Charlotte Aitken Trust, which joined the prize in 2021, the award is given annually to the best work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry by a British or Irish author aged 35 or under.

The Sunday Times literary editor Johanna Thomas-Corr will be joined by the Booker-winning writer and novelist Enright, novelist and critic Mendez, author and critic James McConnachie, poet Nagra and novelist Catriona Ward. The panel will decide who will follow last year’s winner of the prize Tom Benn.

Thomas-Corr said: “I’m so delighted to have such an exceptionally accomplished and interesting panel of judges, perhaps the strongest we have ever assembled. Anne, Mendez, James, Daljit and Cat bring such a broad range of knowledge and experience to the task that I just know we’re going to uncover some really brilliant new writers – and have a lot of lively discussion too.”

Administered by the Society of Authors, the award works with a growing network of partners to “provide a critical support system to the very best talent at work right now,” according to organisers.  

They added: “As it launches its upcoming season, the award is working to extend its partnership network across the literary world. In its first year as the new sponsor, the Charlotte Aitken Trust increased the prize sum to £10,000 with each shortlistee receiving £1,000. This prize money will remain as part of the winner package for 2023.” 

Submissions close on 14th September 2023.