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LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR THE 2009 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE |
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Wednesday, 05 November 2008 |
The 2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the global prize for fiction for
both established and new writers, is calling for entries until 15th
November. Entries for books published after this date can be made until
31 December.
The two categories, for Best Book, worth £10,000 to the overall winner,
and Best First Book, worth £5,000 to the overall winner, are open to
published writers from across the 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The Prize, now in its 23rd year, celebrates cutting-edge fiction across
four regions of the Commonwealth: Africa; Canada and Caribbean; Europe
and South Asia and South East Asia and the Pacific. Last year more than
300 entries were received with the regional winners emerging from
Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India and Nigeria.
The judging is unlike that of any other major literary award, with
twelve judges from different countries having a say in the choice of
winning books. Judging takes place in two phases, with panels in four
regions choosing two winners in the Best Book and Best First Book
categories. These eight regional winners receive £1,000, and are invited
to participate in a final programme held in a Commonwealth country next
May, where the two overall winners are decided by a pan-Commonwealth
panel.
In 2008, the two overall winners were announced at the Franschhoek
Literary Festival in South Africa. Best Book went to Canadian writer,
Lawrence Hill, for his epic novel, The Book of Negroes, and Bangladeshi
writer, Tahmima Anam won Best First Book for her novel, A Golden Age.
Anam said winning the award was more than just prestige. “I'm honoured
and humbled to be the first ever Bangladeshi winner of the Commonwealth
Writers' Prize,” she said. “I wrote A Golden Age because I wanted the
story of the Bangladesh war to reach an international audience. It is a
story of great tragedy, but also represents a moment of hope and
possibility for my sometimes troubled country. I thank the Commonwealth
Foundation, the judges, the supporters and the organisers of the Prize
for giving me this wonderful opportunity,” Anam said.
Entries for the Prize should be made by publishers. For entry forms and
more information, go to: Commonwealth Writers’ Prize
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Regional News 
