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SI Leeds Literary Prize 2024 – submissions window announced

We are delighted to announce that the 2024 SI Leeds Literary Prize will be open for entries from 1 April – 13 May 2024.  Please check back during the submissions window…

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Space to Write bursary winner announced

Haleemah

We are delighted to announce that Haleemah Alaydi has been chosen as the recipient of the Space to Write Bursary, generously supported by Arvon. The bursary is designed…

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Celebrating 10 Years of SI Leeds Literary Prize with a new anthology

A woman reading The Unheard Stories anthology

As part of our 10 year celebrations, we’re delighted to announce the launch of a brand new anthology, featuring work from writers connected to our prize.

The Unheard…

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Arvon to support SI Leeds Literary Prize 2024 with Space to Write bursary

We’re delighted to announce that Arvon is supporting the 2024 SI Leeds Literary Prize by offering a Space to Write bursary, open to unpublished female writers of…

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2022 Readers’ Choice Award Winner Laura Fish signs publishing deal

We’re delighted to share that our 2022 Readers’ Choice Award Winner, Laura Fish, has signed a publishing deal with Manchester-based Fly on the Wall Press to release her…

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10th anniversary celebration and The Unheard Voices book launch – join us!

Celebrate 10 years of the SI Leeds Literary Prize with the launch of our anthology The Unheard Voices, published by Peepal Tree Press and edited by Prize alumna Saima Mir.…

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Exploring the Prize’s partnership with The Opportunity Centre – a new film

We have created a short film exploring the partnership between SI Leeds Literary Prize and our longterm partner and sponsor, The Opportunity Centre, focusing on the creative…

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Reading List: Books from SI Leeds Literary Prize Shortlisted Writers

Our mission is to create opportunities for Black and Asian female writers in the UK, and raise awareness of their work. Each prize sees six writers make the shortlist, and…

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Reading List: Books from SI Leeds Literary Prize-Winning Writers

The SI Leeds Literary Prize has been running since 2012, and in that time, we’ve seen entries from some incredibly talented writers. Some of those women, both our past winners…

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Hear our SI Readers’ Choice winner in conversation with Amy Lord

SI Readers’ Choice readers, including members of SI Leeds, were invited to join an evening with our 2022 SI Readers’ Choice winner, Laura Fish, in conversation…

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2022 winner announced

We are delighted to announce that The Opportunity Centre 1st Prize winner of the 2022 SI Leeds Literary Prize is Suad Kamardeen for Never Enough.  Many congratulations…

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Prize seeks a freelance evaluator

The SI Leeds Literary Prize is looking to appoint an experienced freelance evaluator to support the Prize in its 10th anniversary year.  Commencing in November 2022,…

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Winnie M Li launches her new book, Complicit

Prize alumna and former Prize judge, Winnie M Li, is launching her second novel, Complicit.  Please do join her in Leeds on Thursday 13 October from 6.30pm for this event

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Meet our shortlisted writers!

We have an online event hosted by The Asian Writer to meet the 2022 SI Leeds Literary Prize shortlist on Tuesday 11 October at 7.30pm.  Please do join us for this free…

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2022 shortlist announced

We are delighted to announce the six shortlisted books for the 2022 SI Leeds Literary Prize as follows:

  • Lying Perfectly Still – Laura Fish
  • Sometimes the sky is blue
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    Could you join our SI Readers’ Choice team?

    Would you like to help us choose the winner of the SI Leeds Literary Prize SI Readers’ Choice?

    We’re looking for enthusiastic readers to join us in judging the 2022 prize,…

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    2022 Prize longlist announced

    We are delighted to announce the 2022 SI Leeds Literary Prize longlist, as follows:

  • Lying Perfectly Still by Laura Fish
  • Night School by Divya Ghelani
  • The Taste of a Planet
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    We need an Audience Development consultant – can you help?

    With the support of Arts Council England, we are delighted to be able to offer a new freelance role at the Prize for an Audience Development consultant, to help us spread …

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    2022 Prize open for entries from 18 April to 2 May

    We are delighted that the 2022 Prize – our 10th anniversary edition – will be open for entries from 18 April to 2 May.  Entrants can look forward to an expanded…

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    Why Do We Need to See Women of Colour in Literature?

    Why is it Important to Have Women of Colour Represented in Literature?

    by Reeya Hayat

    Reeya Hayat is studying for her GCSEs. She lives in Buckinghamshire, and is passionate… Read more

    Nana Afua Pierre On the Ghanaian Play, Anowa

    Anowa – A review

    “A wayfarer is a traveler. Therefore to call someone a wayfarer is a painless way of saying he does not belong. That he has no home, no family, no village,…

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    How I Write by LM Dillsworth

    My writing process

    I do most of my writing late at night. I usually start around 9pm or a little later and stop in the early hours. I begin with the outline of a particular scene…

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    Sumana Khan writes about her admiration for Huma Qureshi’s memoir.

    Sumana Khan writes about her admiration for Huma Qureshi’s memoir.

     

    I’m in awe of those who write memoirs – it takes such generosity and courage to write about…

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    Emily Midorikawa – new book out

    Emily Midorikawa, who won joint-third prize in the 2012 competition, and the author of A Secret Sisterhood: The Hidden Friendships of Austen, Bronte, Eliot and Woolf …

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    My Journey to Scooping the Reader’s Choice Award by Sumana Khan

    Do you remember Jan 2020? It was like fifty years ago. Back in that hoary past I had decided that 2020 was going to be my “stress-free” year. My doctoral viva would be done by…

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    My Writing Process by Wenyan Lu

    I write novels. Occasionally I write short stories and poems when I have some ideas which aren’t big enough to base a novel on. They might grow over time, but I would see them…

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    How I Write by Aisha Phoenix

     

    I write speculative fiction – literary fantasy, dystopian stories, science fiction and fables. Much of my work centres characters of colour and explores issues…

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    Congratulations to our winners!

    We are delighted to announce that the Aspire-igen 1st Prize winner of the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize is Wenyan Lu for The Funeral Cryer.  Congratulations!

    Collecting…

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    Please join us for the 2020 award ceremony!

    One of the few silver linings of this year’s pandemic is the fact that we are able to welcome a bigger audience to join us for the 2020 Prize award ceremony – we…

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    2020 shortlisted writer LM Dillsworth signs to Windmill for debut novel

    We are delighted to congratulate Lianne Dillsworth on the news that her debut novel, Age of Monsters, will be published by Windmill.  The Bookseller said “Age…

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    Mona Dash and Stella Oni

    We are delighted that our 2018 shortlisted writer, Mona Dash, has secured publication of her shortlisted short story collection Let Us Look Elsewhere, with Dahlia Books

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    2020 shortlist reading at Home by 10 festival

    Don’t miss the chance to hear our shortlisted writers in conversation with 2014 winner and author of How to Find Home, Mahsuda Snaith, as well as hearing our writers…

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    2016 shortlisted writer Stella Oni online book launch – tonight!

    The wonderful Stella Oni, shortlisted for the 2016 Prize, will be launching her excellent debut crime thriller, Deadly Sacrifice on the 17th September, 6.30pm –…

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    Meet the 2020 shortlist

    We are delighted that the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize shortlisted writers will be featured at a number of events this autumn: the first is on Saturday 5 September, 7.30pm…

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    2020 Shortlist announced

    The judges have agreed the shortlist for the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize as follows:

  • A boy called Silence – Nana Afua A Pierre
  • Bat Monkey and Other Stories – Aisha Phoenix
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    2020 Longlist announced

    We are delighted to announce the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize longlist as follows:

  • A boy called Silence – Nana Afua A Pierre
  • Bat Monkey and Other Stories – Aisha
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    Mahsuda Snaith bursaries for low income writers – deadline extended

    With the entry date for the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize looming (30 April), we are delighted to say that the bursaries for low income writers to enter this year’s …

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    Alumni update

    Our 2012 winner, Minoli Salgado, has recently been long listed for the Republic of Consciousness prize for her collection of short stories, Broken Jaw.  Many congratulations!…

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    2020 judging panel announced

    We’re delighted to announce the judging panel for the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize as follows:

    Malika Booker is an international writer whose work is steeped in …

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    2020 Prize submissions open on 1 January

    We are delighted to welcome submissions for the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize from 1 January – 30 April 2020.  The link to our submissions site will be live from the…

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