We invite women in the UK and Ireland to submit the opening of their novel in any genre – up to 10,000 words – for the chance to take part in a bespoke creative writing course, secure personalised mentorship packages, access expert advice, and join a supportive community of emerging writers.

The winner of Discoveries, announced in May 2024, will receive an offer of representation from Curtis Brown and £5000; one promising writer, named the ‘Discoveries Scholar’, will win a free scholarship to attend a three-month Writing Your Novel course with Curtis Brown Creative (worth £1,800); a shortlist of six authors (including the winner and scholar) will each be offered a one-to-one mentoring session with a Curtis Brown agent plus a free place on a six-week Curtis Brown Creative course of their choice; while sixteen longlisted authors will receive a bespoke, two-week online Discoveries Writing Development Course taught by Women’s Prize shortlisted author Charlotte Mendelson and an Audible subscription.

Building on 2023’s successful outreach, which resulted in almost 3000 entries – an increase of 20% on 2022, with 80% of applicants from outside of London – Discoveries is continuing to expand its roster of accessible events and resources designed to support women at all stages of their creative journey.

The 2024 judging panel will be chaired by Kate Mosse, the international bestselling novelist and Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Kate Mosse is joined this year by award-winning novelists Natasha Brown (Assembly) and Rowan Hisayo Buchanan (Harmless Like You, Starling Days and The Sleep Watcher); Jess Molloy, Curtis Brown literary agent; and Anna Davis, Founder and Managing Director of Curtis Brown Creative writing school.

To find out more about more Discoveries and its programme of events and resources for writers, please visit: womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/discoveries.

Deadline: 11:59pm on 8 January 2024