Calling all readers! – Women’s Prize : Women’s Prize

It’s that time of year again! We’re looking for reading groups and book clubs to get involved with the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the UK’s most prestigious annual book award celebrating and honouring fiction by women.

This year we are offering six reading groups the chance to shadow the shortlist of the 2023 Prize and read along with the judges. If chosen, your group will receive a set of copies of one shortlisted title – in the format of your choice – which you will be asked to read and review before the winner is announced on 14th June. All selected groups will receive bespoke reading guides, free tickets to the Shortlist Book Club Online events running over three nights in May – and, for the first time, you’ll be invited to join a private Zoom gathering with this year’s Chair of Judges, Louise Minchin.

If your group would like to take part, please apply via The Reading Agency website by 12pm 20th April 2023. Groups will be selected following the shortlist announcement on 26th April and will be sent a questionnaire to fill out.

This call is open to all reading groups in the UK – whether you’ve been meeting for years or fancy forming a brand-new book club! Please contact Kimberley.Sheehan@readingagency.org.uk if you have any questions.

Key Dates

20 April 2023 – Applications to shadow the Women’s Prize 2023 close at 12pm
26 April 2023 – The Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist announcement
27 April 2023 – Six groups selected to shadow the prize, and books will be allocated. All groups will be notified of the outcome by May 3 2023
w/c 1 May 2023 – Selected groups to receive allocated books
9 May 2023 (6.15-7.15 pm) – The Reading Agency will host a virtual meeting with two members from each of the six selected groups
22-24 May 2023 – Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist Book Club Online
5 June 2023 (evening, timing TBC) – Women’s Prize for Fiction and The Reading Agency will host a private Zoom event with members of the selected groups and Louise Minchin, the chair of the Women’s Prize for Fiction judges
5 June 2023 – Each group is to provide a photo from the final group discussion, questionnaire feedback and individual reviews to The Reading Agency
14 June 2023 – Women’s Prize for Fiction winner announcement