Call for new writers of colour as entries open for 4thWrite short story prize

The Guardian and publisher 4th Estate’s annual award for unpublished writers of colour offers £1,000 to the winner, and publication on theguardian.com

The Guardian and 4th Estate’s short story prize dedicated to writers of colour has been running for five years. And as Black Lives Matter protests and the subsequent boom in reading lists and publishers’ statements showed, more than ever, that UK publishing must do more to elevate and celebrate a more diverse range of voices in literature – every year, not just when it is in the news.

Back with a new name, the 4thWrite short story prize is open for entries for 2021, with all unpublished writers of colour invited to submit a short story of up to 6,000 words by 30 April. This year, the stories will be judged by Nelle Andrew, literary agent at Rachel Mills Literary; Liv Little, writer and founder of gal-dem; poet and playwright Inua Ellams; Aimée Felone, co-founder of the publisher Knights Of; Anna Kelly, the editorial director at 4th Estate; and Claire Armitstead, the Guardian’s associate culture editor.