Young Writer Award

We are very excited to announce an exclusive shortlist event on Monday 23rd March at the @BarbicanCentre with our shortlisted authors (TBA!), chaired by the wonderful, Booker Prize-winning @BernardineEvari! ✨ 🎟️ Tickets: barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2026/…

In our final Readers on Writers interview, shadow judge Lou Baillache (@louus_library) speaks to Gurnaik Johal (@GurnaikJohal) about his debut novel #Saraswati published by @ProfileBooks📖 Full interview online: youngwriteraward.com/readers-on-wri…

Next up in our Readers on Writers series, shadow judge Amina Makele (@AminasBookshelf) speaks to Liadan Ní Chuinn about their expansive collection of short stories #EveryOneStillHere published by @grantabooks📚 Full interview online: youngwriteraward.com/readers-on-wri…

Hear from Liadan Ní Chuinn about their shortlisted debut #EveryOneStillHere published by @GrantaBooks 📚 Liadan expands on how they formed their collection of short stories and the importance of care when writing. #youngwriteraward #youngwriters #ukbookstagram

Next up in our Readers on Writers series is Anastasia Charchalioti in-conversation with Harry Shukman about his shortlisted book #YearOfTheRat (@ChattoBooks / @vintagebooks) ✨ Full interview online: youngwriteraward.com/readers-on-wri…

Our #YoungWriterAward Shadow Panel Judges have chosen Liadan Ní Chuinn, author of #EveryOneStillHere published by @GrantaBooks, as their winner for their collection of stories tracing the aftershocks of post-conflict north of Ireland. Judge's winner announced 24 March 2026✨

Hear more about Harry Shukman’s shortlisted non-fiction debut #YearOfTheRat, published by @ChattoBooks / @vintagebooks 📚 Harry shares how he went undercover with far-right groups in the UK, and discovered how they are normalising extreme ideologies. #youngwriteraward

Introducing Readers on Writers – where our shadow judging panel interview our shortlisted authors📖✨ First up, Nic Marna (@bookbinch) speaks to Ben Brooks about his novel #TheGreatestPossibleGood (@scribneruk / @simonschusteruk). Full interview online: youngwriteraward.com/readers-on-wri…

Hear from @GurnaikJohal about his shortlisted debut novel #Saraswati published by @serpentstail 📚 Brimming with love, lush, violence and loss, Gurnaik’s magisterial debut deftly animates the passions that bind us to our histories, our lands and each other. #youngwriteraward

Get to know each of our shortlisted authors as they share more about their novels! First up, Ben Brooks on #TheGreatestPossibleGood (@ScribnerUK / @simonschusterUK), on how altruism inspired his novel and when to put the pen down and start again. #benbrooks #youngwriteraward

The fourth and final book on our #YoungWriterAwardshortlist is Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman, published by @ChattoBooks / @vintagebooks! 📚 #YearOfTheRat is an account of Harry’s year spent undercover infiltrating far-right groups. Find out more: youngwriteraward.com/book/harry-shu…

Next up on our #YoungWriterAward shortlist is Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn, published by @GrantaBooks✨ 📚 #EveryOneStillHere is an expansive collection of stories tracing the aftershocks of post-conflict north of Ireland. Find out more: youngwriteraward.com/book/liadan-ni…

Congratulations to our 2023 shortlisted author @michaelmagee__ whose novel #CloseToHome will be adapted by Channel 4 as a new drama featuring Anthony Boyle, Jessica Reynolds, Seamus O’Hara and Oisín Thompson as lead cast 📽️

Next up on our #YoungWriterAward shortlist is Saraswati by @GurnaikJohal, published by @serpentstail! 📚 #Saraswati is an cross-generational epic traversing India, deftly animating the passions that bind us to our histories and each other. Find out more: youngwriteraward.com/book/gurnaik-j…

This week we will be spotlighting the #YoungWriterAward shortlist! 📚 First up is Ben Brooks, shortlisted for #TheGreatestPossibleGood (@ScribnerUK/@simonschusterUK), an incisive, hilarious family saga and unflinchingly human debut novel. Find out more: youngwriteraward.com/book/ben-brook…

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award! ✨ Read more here: youngwriteraward.com/the-sunday-tim… Read in @thetimes : thetimes.com/culture/books/… #YoungWriterAward

Our fourth and final shadow panellist is Nic Marna @bookishbinch! 📖 Nic is a queer writer and fast walker from Montreal, based in London. He can be found anywhere online championing queer literature and is currently finishing his debut novel. #YoungWriterAward

Our third shadow panellist is Lou @louus_library 📚 Louise Baillache is a bookish content creator who has fostered a community of readers over the past 5 years. She is an advocate for the art of storytelling as a powerful tool to connect with others. #YoungWriterAward

This year’s second shadow panel judge is Anastasia Charchalioti @thebookorchestra 📖 Anastasia is a Greek aspiring author. When she's not working on her first novel, she reads as much as physically possible. #YoungWriterAward

Introducing this year’s shadow panel! First up we have Amina Makele @AminasBookshelf 📚 An avid reader, she regularly shares book reviews and recommendations on her #bookstagram and #booktok accounts where she champions Black and diverse authors. #YoungWriterAward