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Mo Siewcharran Prize ventures into non-fiction for first time
The Mo Siewcharran Prize will focus on non-fiction for the first time, under the theme of Reclaiming History, through the Trapeze imprint.
The Orion-based imprint is calling for submissions that explore events from our past through historical narrative, memoir or polemic writing. “Those submitting their work could be budding historians or academics pursuing research for an MA or PhD or a writer fascinated by tales of their culture or ancestors; they may be a journalist looking to unpack a more recent past or an individual wanting to artfully explore mythical or familial stories,” organisers said.
Launched in 2019, the Mo Siewcharran Prize, named in memory of NielsenIQ BookData’s former director of marketing and communications, was co-founded and sponsored by her husband John Seaton and aims to nurture talent from under-represented backgrounds writing in English. With NielsenIQ BookData as co-sponsors, it is run as part of Hachette UK’s The Future Bookshelf, the home for all Hachette UK’s creative writing programmes, and is hosted by different divisions of the publisher each year.
Siewcharran’s husband and the prize co-founder John Seaton said: “The Mo Siewcharran Prize, now in its sixth year, continues its exploration of different genres, and in the most exciting way possible. Not just because it will be its first venture into non-fiction, but because the subject, Reclaiming History, is teeming with all sorts of rich possibilities. I can’t wait to see the response to this stimulating challenge.”
Katie Ogunṣakin, editorial director for Trapeze, said: “It’s an honour to be hosting the Mo Siewcharran prize this year. Books that explore history, ancestry and culture are essential to our world understanding and yet we still don’t see enough that explore the backgrounds of those from the global majority.
“This prize – supported by our incredible judges who write and platform non-fiction – is an effort to close a publishing gap, and I am excited to see inventive and compelling submissions pour in.”
Last year the award was hosted by Hodderscape, the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hodder & Stoughton, and was focused on discovering new voices in fantasy fiction.
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Submissions will open on 1st April 2025. Entrants must be unagented at the time of entry and previously unpublished by a publisher, aged 18 or over, resident in the UK and from a Black, Asian, mixed heritage or minority ethnic background. Entry requirements are non-fiction proposals of no more than 10,000 words that explore history and the past in a compelling and unique way to be submitted by 30th May 2024 via the website here.
The first round will be judged by members of Orion and Hachette UK’s THRIVE employee network alongside other Hachette employees, who will decide on a shortlist of up to 10 proposals. The winners and runners-up will then be decided by Ogunṣakin, Olivette Otele, author and research professor at SOAS, Selina Brown, CEO and founder of Black British Book Festival, authors Paula Akpan and Sofia Akel, and literary agent Emma Bal.
The winner will receive £2,500 prize money, a hamper of Trapeze books, a follow-up online mentoring session with an Orion non-fiction editor and an introductory meeting with a literary agent. The winner’s entry will also be taken forward to Orion’s acquisitions meeting and considered for publication with a competitive advance against royalties. One runner-up will receive £1,500 prize money, a follow-up mentoring session with an Orion non-fiction editor and a hamper of Trapeze books. A second runner-up will receive £750 prize money and a hamper of Trapeze books.
