New Hilary Mantel Prize aims to nurture emerging writers

A new literary prize named in memory of Dame Hilary Mantel aims to nurture the next generation of writers. The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction will be launched on the third anniversary of Mantel's death and is designed as a biennial competition open to unpublished writers living in the United Kingdom or Ireland. The winner will receive a cash prize, mentoring from a literary agent and a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course.

Entries are restricted to writers who have not published a book and who do not have an agent. The prize is judged by a panel chaired by bestselling author Maggie O'Farrell, who has spoken about Mantel's mentorship as transformative. O'Farrell said the prize could be "Encouragement from a writer of Hilary Mantel's stature is nothing short of transformative. It's like winning a thousand lotteries for debut writers." Other judges include author Katie Ward, who benefited from Mantel's guidance during her early career.

Organisers note the prize commemorates Mantel in light of private correspondence released after her death that shows she mentored aspiring writers throughout her life. Mantel's ties to Devon run deep: she served as honorary president of the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival for the last decade of her life and was a central figure in the community. She won the Booker Prize twice and is best known for Wolf Hall, which was adapted into a BBC series.

Katie Ward, whom Mantel mentored for about 15 years, has spoken of Mantel's support when Ward was starting out. Ward recalled she had endured numerous rejections before Mantel helped steer her toward an agent and a publishing path, saying Mantel’s guidance was pivotal during the long period of waiting for recognition.

Dame Hilary published 17 books over four decades and left a lasting imprint on British literary culture. The prize's creation, festival connections and Mantel's enduring mentorship are framed as a way to give debut writers a platform and a voice, in line with the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival's mission and its emerging-writers initiatives.

Kate Abbey, current director of the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival, said: "Each year we champion the work of debut authors with the Hilary Mantel Emerging Writers' Panel. Festivals and prizes like this new one play key roles in giving a platform and a voice to new talent."

The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction is set to be awarded every two years, providing a combination of financial support, professional mentorship, and a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course to nurture new voices in British and Irish fiction. The prize reflects Mantel's own lifelong commitment to mentoring writers and supporting those who might not yet have access to traditional pathways into publishing.