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CWIP Prize Content Criteria

Female witty writing is compelling, empowering, connecting and releasing.

The judges will be looking for evidence of wit ranging from irony to absurdity –
offering laugh out loud moments and a sense of connection, truth and recognition to the reader.

The Comedy Women in Print Prize

Helen Lederer is probably best known as part of London’s alternative comedy scene at the Comedy Store and for her roles in Absolutely Fabulous and BBC sketch show Naked Video. Thankfully, the success and interest in CWIP’s inaugural year in 2019 proves there is a need and an appetite for celebrating published and unpublished witty women authors – which explains why we are gearing up for 2020…

because frankly, why wouldn’t we…

THIS IS ME, HELEN LEDERER

A SMALL, FAT SHOW OFF FROM THE 80'S

"Five years ago when I finished my comedy novel 'Losing it', I rather hopefully looked around for a female comedy literary prize to win and discovered there weren't any - Which is why I set up CWIP"

And, not one person said it might be a bad idea to become compulsive, obsessed, persistent and annoying,
so I just cracked on with it.

And who knew that I’d meet so many nice people along the way - even if it meant gate-crashing parties, drinking, fishing business cards, and cutting off various body parts.

It was worth it.

More...

The first UK and Ireland comedy literary prize
to shine a light on witty women authors

Entries Open on October 25, 2019
Entries close on March 2, 2020

How many female judges does it take to change a lightbulb?
Answer: None, you've got to leave something for the men
to think they're good at

After much debate (as you can imagine - don't ask) the celebrity panel of judges decided upon two witty winning novels.

Published Comedy Novel Award

Laura Steven was the winner of the Published Comedy Novel Award for The Exact Opposite of Okay, receiving £2,000.

Asia Mackay's - Killing It' was awarded 'exceptional recognition' in the published category, and she and the other shortlisted authors... Gail Honeyman - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; Gill Sims - Why Mummy Swears; and Balli Kaur Jaswal - Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows each received £250.
With thanks to our wonderful sponsor King of Soho gin for making the Published Novels Award possible.

Unpublished Comedy Novel Award

Kirsty Eyre was the winner of the Unpublished Novels Award for Cow Girl, securing a publishing deal with £5,000 advance with Harper Fiction.

Abigail Mann's The Lonely Fajita won the runners up prize of a funded MA course at the University of Hertfordshire.

Authors shortlisted for the Unpublished Novels Award were Helen Doyle - The Ladies' Guide to Finding Love; Jo Lovett-Turner - New Year at the Duck and Grapes; and Lotte Mullan - Love is Strange who were all recognised at the Awards event.