First Chapter
Now in its 11th year, our annual Women’s Prize × Grazia First Chapter competition, which the Women’s Prize delivers in partnership with Grazia, provides a starting point for first time writers, and seeks the next literary star. Every year, we ask a renowned author to provide the first 150 words of a story, and first time writers are invited to complete it. The author and members of the Grazia team judge the competition, and the winner and two runners-up are announced at our Awards Ceremony in London.
Our judges were Grazia’s Deputy Editor and author Kenya Hunt, assistant editor and author Emma Rowley, and bestselling author Dorothy Koomson, who wrote the opening paragraph for the 2021 competition.
Our 2021 winner is Naomi George, who impressed the judges with how she how set up a promising tale with a twist. You can read her winning story, with Dorothy’s starting paragraph, here. Our runners-up are Savitri Patel and Imogen Tazzyman,w whose stories you can read below. Dorothy will now mentor Naomi for a year as part of her prize, and she will attend the Women’s Prize for Fiction Awards Ceremony on 8 September.
Looking for some creative tips? Scroll on for some writing features, or watch Dorothy Koomson and fellow judge Emma Rowley chatting in an inspiring IG Live here.
You can also join Dorothy, Kenya, editor and writer Mireille Harper, and literary agent Viola Hayden for our digital event ‘Putting Pen to Paper’ at 7pm on Tuesday 20 July . Buy your £5 ticket here > > >
Our previous First Chapter Competition authors have been Rosamund Lupton, Kate Mosse, Rachel Joyce, Sarah Waters, Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes, Maggie O’Farrell, Paula Hawkins, Gail Honeyman and Diana Evans.
More on First Chapter
Read our 2021 winning Grazia First Chapter Competition story
This year’s First Chapter Competition, delivered in partnership with Grazia magazine, was our 11th annual competition – and our second…
First Chapter Competition 2021: Runner-up Imogen Tazzyman
Imogen Tazzyman, 36, from Bollington, Macclesfield, works in advertising. She has wanted to be a writer ever since she won…
First Chapter Competition 2021: Runner-up Savitri Patel
Savitri Patel, 37, works for an education charity and lives in Leicester. After entering the First Chapter competition to see…
From First Chapter to First Novel: Luan Goldie
Luan Goldie was born in Glasgow but has lived in East London for most of her life. She is a…
Features
2020 Grazia First Chapter winner Abigail Moss, on writing and support
In October 2020, we announced the winner of our tenth annual Women’s Prize x Grazia First Chapter Competition with a…
‘A Real Stand-Out Moment in My Life’: Sue Wallman
The journey to publication took eight years for Sue Wallman, and picked up pace when she won The Women’s Prize…
Maia Jenkins: On winning our 2019 Grazia First Chapter Competition
Maia Jenkins is a writer currently living and working in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. She is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize,…
Writing tips from Paula Hawkins
The brilliant Paula Hawkins, author of the bestselling The Girl on the Train, is judging the 2018 Grazia and Women’s…
