4thWrite short story prize seeks best new writers

THE Guardian and publisher 4th Estate’s short story competition for unpublished writers of colour in the United Kingdom is open for entries for its sixth year.

Previous winners of the 4thWrite prize, which was renamed in 2021, include Gift Nyoni, with his 2021 winner Ritual Seat of the King, a story about a boy meeting his father for the first time, and Kandace Siobhan Walker, who won in 2019 for her story Deep Heart, a poignant exploration of kinship and community.

e prize has an impressive list of alumni, with longlisted and shortlisted writers, including Love in Colour author Bolu Babalola; Guy Gunaratne, who went on to win the Jhalak prize for their debut novel In Our Mad and Furious City; and Kit Fan, poet and author of Diamond Hill.

e Zimbabwe-born Nyoni’s winning entry for last year follows David, a boy whose father has been absent for years, and whose mother has been receiving “visitors” in his absence. After the war ends, and Rhodesia becomes Zimbabwe, his father returns home, but his homecoming is not what David anticipated.

Nyoni, a trainee solicitor at a London firm, beat five other shortlisted authors, including Sulaxana Hippisley and Laura Blake, to win the award.

is year’s prize will be judged by author Tash Aw, who has been longlisted for the Booker Prize twice; author Sara Collins, who won the 2019 Costa first novel award; Leah Davis, host and

efounder of Capital Xtra Book Club podcast; literary agent Catherine Cho, who is founder of Paper Literary; Justine Jordan, deputy literary editor at the Guardian; and Kishani Widyaratna, editorial director at 4th Estate.

e winner will receive £1 000 (US$1 230), a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and will have their story published on the Guardian website.

e deadline for submissions is August 14, with the longlist announced on September 21.

e shortlist will be announced on October 19, with the winner crowned at a November ceremony in London.

Writers can submit stories at www.4thEstate.co.uk/PRIZE, and any queries can be sent to 4thWritePrize@harpercollins.co.uk. — e Guardian.