Literary Women's Prize for Fiction 2027

The Literary Women's Prize for Fiction is an annual award established to find and develop new authors of literary fiction. The prize is open to women and non-binary writers from anywhere in the world, and the winner receives a trade publishing contract with The Kind Press — a meaningful pathway to publication rather than just prize money.

To enter, you'll submit a previously unpublished novel or book-length work of literary fiction (up to 90,000 words), along with a 500-word synopsis and a 300-word biography. The manuscript must be written in English and submitted in Word Document format (Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced).

Entry is open to cis women, trans women, and non-binary people who identify with the prize's purpose of promoting women's writing. Entrants must be 18 or older as of 1 February 2027. Works that have been previously published — including independently published or works currently out on submission — are not eligible.

A discounted early-bird entry fee of $45 AUD (GST inclusive) applies until 18 December 2026, after which the standard fee of $70 AUD applies. All entry fees go directly toward running the prize, covering prize money, judging, admin, PR, legal, and marketing costs.

A panel of five women judges assess all entries on excellence, originality, and engagement. The shortlist will be announced on 20 April 2027, with the winner revealed on 18 May 2027.

Note: The Kind Press does not accept works that have been written, edited, or ideated with the assistance of AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude.