Discoveries is the Women’s Prize’s writer development programme designed to address the specific challenges that women face as writers.
Unlike most initiatives of this kind, Discoveries is completely free, and writers are not required to have finished their novel, to enter.
The submissions window for 2025 is now closed. Sign up to our Writers’ Room newsletter to be the first to hear when submissions for 2026 open.
Discoveries invites unpublished and unagented women writers in the UK or Ireland to submit the opening of a novel in English – up to 10,000 words – for the chance to take part in a bespoke creative writing course, secure personalised mentorship packages, an offer of literary agent representation and a prize of £5000.
Discoveries is run in partnership with Audible, Curtis Brown Literary Agency, and the Curtis Brown Creative writing school.
Rosie Rowell has won Discoveries 2025 with her atmospheric thriller Down to the Stryth that explores dysfunctional family relationships, generational trauma and the complexities of womanhood. As winner of the prize, Rosie receives an offer of representation from Curtis Brown literary agency and a cash prize of £5,000. The 2025 Discoveries scholar, Jac Felipez wins a place on a three-month ‘Writing Your Novel’ course with Curtis Brown Creative to further develop her work-in-progress, A Long Ways from Home – a turbulent crime novel set in London.
Meet the 2025 Discoveries winner and scholar
The 2025 judging panel was chaired by Kate Mosse, international bestselling novelist and Founder Director of the Women’s Prize. Joining Kate is author and musician Claire Kohda; international bestselling and award-winning author Dreda Say Mitchell MBE; journalist, author and podcaster Chloe Timms; Curtis Brown literary agent Jess Molloy; and Founder and Managing Director of Curtis Brown Creative, Anna Davis.
Writer's Toolkit
To celebrate the publication day of her debut novel, Ordinary Saints, we caught up with 2022 Discoveries shortlisted Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin to learn more about her writing process and workspace.
Read more
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