Hachette and Jessica Kingsley Publishers seek ‘stories of resistance’ for JKP Writing Prize 2022

Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Hachette UK’s Future Bookshelf have announced the return of the JKP Writing prize for underrepresented voices in non-fiction, with a theme this year of "stories of resistance".

Launched in 2019, Hachette says the prize offers the chance for writers from underrepresented groups to have their work considered by a panel of published authors and professional editors.

The winning pieces will be published in an anthology and the winning writers will also receive £150. The competition is now open and the deadline for submissions is midnight, 21st October.

Open to writers from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and ethnic minority groups, entries will be read and considered by judges JKP editors Sarah Hamlin and Masooma Malik, author and equality and diversity officer Susan Cousins, dyslexic author, entrepreneur and neurodiversity consultant Onyinye Udokporo, and UK Black history educator and cultural commentator Kayne Kawasaki.

On what the judges are looking for, they said: “The UK has a long history of injustice directed at people from minoritised groups – whether it’s through everyday acts of aggression or institutional discrimination on a wider scale.

“But over the years, generation to generation, people from minoritised communities have fought back, engaging in advocacy, activism, and acts of resistance to combat the discrimination they face and create positive change. We want to hear these stories of resistance.”

JKP senior commissioning editor Sarah Hamlin said: “This year’s theme speaks to our mission to platform individuals and communities who have advocated for equality. We want to highlight and celebrate the people who have demanded better for minoritized groups, and share ideas, big and small, that will inspire others to push boundaries and level the playing field for people of colour to succeed.”
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