Whitmarsh wins inaugural Science Fiction Debuts Prize for ‘instantly engaging’ novel

David Whitmarsh has won the inaugural Science Fiction Debuts Prize for his “exceptional, compelling and instantly engaging” novel, The Measurement Problem. 

Launched by Hodder & Stoughton and the Science Museum in May 2022 to celebrate the museum’s exhibition "Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination", the writing prize aims to champion science fiction storytelling and discover some of the exciting talent of the future.

The winning novel, The Measurement Problem, is described as “a near-future high-concept science fiction thriller, told in a noir style” and set in the late 21st century, in which much of east London is being abandoned to the rising sea. Against this backdrop, Detective Inspector Lewis Drake is tasked with solving a murder linked to a new drug, implicitins, which allows the user to experience alternative quantum realities.

Whitmarsh wins £4,000, alongside a full critique of their work, a six-month-long mentoring programme with Hodderscape publishing director Molly Powell and an introduction to three literary agents.

The runner up, The Forest that Eats Bone by Laura Tisdall, receives £2,000, alongside a full critique of the work submitted. The rest of the shortlist receives a cash prize of £800 and feedback from the judging panel. 

The panel is comprised of Gaby Lee, genre fiction buyer at Waterstones, Jo Fletcher, previously publisher at Jo Fletcher Books and associate publisher at Gollancz, Stevie Finnegan, agent at Zeno Agency, and Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, a Sri Lankan activist and researcher and author of The Salvage Crew (Aethon Books).

Powell said: “I’m so excited to be announcing the winner and runner up of the SF Debuts prize. All of the entries were of the highest quality, and selecting a winner was no easy feat, but Whitmarsh’s brilliantly realised ideas, hugely engaging writing and a tightly plotted mystery stole the show. I cannot wait to work with him on this brilliant novel.”

Whitmarsh said: “The Measurement Problem is my second attempt at writing a novel. It started as a flash fiction piece about a detective in a café meeting a woman who was in love with him in another world.

“From there the idea ran away with me. I had so much fun writing it, especially turning Canary Wharf where I used to work into a derelict wasteland flooded by the rising sea. I was as excited as a five-year-old at Christmas when I was told my novel had won the award and my greatest hope is that it will be a step towards getting it published. I’d like to thank Molly and all the judges for all their work, and Hodderscape and the Science Museum for organising the competition.”

Glyn Morgan, lead curator for “Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination” at the Science Museum said: “At the Science Museum we created an exhibition that explores how the science of today can inspire visions of the future.

"Working with Hodder & Stoughton on this prize has been almost like time travel – it has been thrilling to see the submissions for the SF Debuts prize and have a sneak peek at writing that I’m sure will be flying off the shelves before long. Congratulations to David and all the shortlisted writers, and thank you for sharing some brilliant science fiction storytelling.”