How the Orange Award for New Writers was established

In 2004, Arts Council England was looking to support shorter fiction - both short story collection and novellas – whilst the Orange Prize for Fiction was being approached by members of the book trade who remembered the success of Orange Futures - 21 authors to watch to celebrate the new millennium - and were interested in the Prize having a first fiction award.

The two aims were compatible and seemed a good way for the Prize to build on its work promoting fiction by emerging authors, encouraging potential and bringing new readers to writing by women from all round the world.

The first Orange Award for New Writers – a partnership between the Orange Prize for Fiction and Arts Council London – was launched to celebrate the 10th Orange Prize in 2005.

The prize has been so successful, both in promoting emerging talent and for drawing attention to short story writing, that Arts Council England have renewed their sponsorship for another three year period.

With the Harper’s Bazaar / Orange Short Story Competition open to unpublished writers, the Orange Award for New Writers for first published works of fiction and the Orange Prize for Fiction awarded for the best novel by a woman, the Prize now covers the whole gamut of writing by women.