Women's Prize for Fiction launches initiative for writers under 35

The Women’s Prize for Fiction is partnering with Good Housekeeping magazine to launch a new initiative celebrating writers of fiction aged 35 and under.

Coinciding with the magazine's 100th anniversary in 2022, the launch of the Futures project will see 10 writers promoted and interviewed in Good Housekeeping, receiving a photoshoot, online publicity and participation in virtual events.

Established publishers and literary organisations are invited to nominate women authors of fiction, residing in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, by 10 a.m. on 16th August. Authors must have published at least one full-length work of fiction in the UK or Republic of Ireland by 31st December 2021 to be eligible. The Futures judging panel said they will be looking for "excellence, originality, ambition and promise".

The Women’s Prize team will compile a confidential list of 20 authors from the nominations received. A panel of five judges, including Kate Mosse (pictured) and members of the Good Housekeeping team, will then decide a final list of 10 women authors; the Futures 10. A public vote will run throughout 2022 for readers to select an overall winner from the Futures 10, crowning the victor in the magazine's December 2022 issue.

Mosse, founder of the Women's Prize for Fiction (WPFF), said: "I'm delighted the Women's Prize for Fiction is partnering with Good Housekeeping to celebrate their century. For more than a quarter of a century, the WPFF has been championing, celebrating and amplifying women's voices. With Futures, we're looking to celebrate 10 female authors who are 35 and under in the UK and Ireland; who are leading voices in exciting, boundary changing, authentic, inspirational, heartbreaking fiction writing. In other words, the classics of tomorrow for today. Being a writer at any age can be a challenge, but we strongly feel that supporting writers at the beginning of their careers, that Millennial generation, is important and necessary to shine a spotlight on their exceptional work and to help connect writers with potential readers."

Good Housekeeping editor Gaby Huddart added: "With 2022 marking Good Housekeeping’s centenary, we wanted to celebrate our landmark birthday with a series of schemes and events that stay true to our heritage but that look forward to an exciting future—and that’s precisely what this does. We also know Good Housekeeping’s audience are passionate book lovers and will love discovering the upcoming talent that we highlight with Futures; I know they’ll devour the books and will enthusiastically vote for their favourites.”