Celebrating 30 Years of the Women's Prize for Fiction

The book world is dominated by women – writers, readers, publishers, booksellers, and so on – yet the gender pay gap for women writers sits at 37% in comparison to the national average of 11%. Along with this, only 26.5% of non-fiction reviews in national newspapers were allocated to books by female writers, and only 35.5% of books awarded a non-fiction prize over the past ten years were by a female writer, across seven UK non-fiction prizes. 

In this engaging conversation, Louise Minchin and Irenosen Okojie will discuss the range of issues that women writers still face within the publishing industry, including remuneration, consumer visibility and the perception of their writing, with Claire Shanahan, Executive Director of the Women’s Prize Trust. Ahead of celebrating its 30th anniversary, this conversation will explore the continuing importance of the Women’s Prize Trust, as a charity that enriches society by creating equitable opportunities for women in the world of books, and will highlight the role of books and creativity in striving towards gender equity. 

They’ll also discuss their own recent writing and work. Broadcaster, writer and triathlete Louise Minchin chaired the Women’s Prize for Fiction judging panel in 2023. Formerly one of the main presenters on BBC Breakfast for a decade, she recently published her debut novel, the gripping crime thriller Isolation Island. Louise will be joined by award-winning author and director and founder of Black to the Future festival, Irenosen Okojie. Irenosen sat alongside Louise on the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction judging panel. Her new novel, Curandera, is a multi-dimensional exploration of desire, betrayal and friendship across centuries. Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature, she was awarded an MBE For Services to Literature in 2021.

Chester Literature Festival is partnering with the Women’s Prize Trust to present a special day of events at Storyhouse on Sunday, 10 November. Marking the 30th anniversary of the renowned Women’s Prize for Fiction — celebrated as one of the world’s most prestigious honors for female creativity — the day will feature a series of panels, talks, and workshops under the banner of ‘Women’s Prize Day’.