I struggle to quantify the ways in which being part of the Discoveries programme has helped me over this past year. Being shortlisted was simply the most unexpected and brilliant thing to happen to me in 2023. I’m totally new to the writing and publishing industry, having had the idea for my first novel just months before submitting it for the Discoveries Prize.

Most valuably, the programme has provided me with a network of both fellow writers and industry professionals who have helped me navigate this whole new chapter of my life in a world I knew little to nothing about. My fellow longlistees support each other through everything from crises of confidence to those “silly” questions we worry we should already know the answers to. The experts and professionals I’ve connected with – for example published writers, agents, the Women’s Prize team – have offered the most astonishing, hands-on support. With them, I’ve gathered priceless new perspectives on writing and have polished the details of my novel to make it something that will, hopefully, stand the best possible chance at publication down the line. As someone so new to writing, I might never have found the confidence to even envisage a world in which I’m a published author. Now, thanks to the Discoveries programme, it’s something I work towards every day.

The ongoing support from the teams behind the Discoveries Prize is so comforting to have, whether it be the many courses and workshops they’ve provided, or just knowing there’s always someone on my side should I need to reach out for advice. The Discoveries programme really is the most remarkable opportunity for new, unpublished, writers. My place on the shortlist is the reassurance I grasp onto whenever I’m having a wobble, and has given me many kind, helpful hands to hold while on the rollercoaster of writing.

The Women’s Prize Trust have been incredible at keeping in touch and continuing to make us feel part of something special and supportive even 18+ months on from being shortlisted for the Discoveries Prize. From exclusive workshops to personal check-ins, the team really goes above and beyond to ensure those of us newly navigating the world of writing always have a place to access help and advice. The workshops have given me many much-needed boosts during periods of low confidence, and I have no doubt that the Trust will be there whenever I need to reach out for support in the years to come. For an endeavour that involves sitting at a laptop alone for 99% of the process, the work of the Trust really has been a vital safety net.

Any programme that seeks to champion and support new writers is a programme worth backing. The world of publishing felt so daunting and unknowable before I was shortlisted for the Discoveries Prize; the work the Women’s Prize Trust does to break down those barriers has been genuinely life-changing in how it has shifted my perspective on my ability to one day become a published author. Before being shortlisted, I knew no one in the publishing industry and had no idea of the processes involved to get my novel published once I had a finished manuscript. The experience of writing with the knowledge I have now gained from the programme feels worlds away from how the process used to feel, and I believe it to be the main reason I have had the motivation to keep going and am now nearing completion of my manuscript. Programmes like Writers’ Room are so important for demystifying the world of publishing and allowing writers to focus on creating their work over worrying about any barriers to come.