Women’s Prize for Fiction Awards

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The Women’s Prize for Fiction is a big deal in the book world. It started in 1996 because people noticed that not enough women were winning the big book awards, even though there were lots of amazing books written by women out there. There was a specific inspiration for this, which was the 1991 Booker Prize. Of the six books that were shortlisted, it was all male writers.

The Women’s Prize for Fiction prize is all about celebrating female authors who write in English from anywhere in the world, focusing on novels.

Over the years, the prize has had a few different names because different companies have sponsored it, but the goal has always been the same: to give a shoutout to the best of the best women writers. It’s not just about the big names, either. This prize helps new writers get noticed and reach more readers.

Some notable books and authors that have won in the past include ike Zadie Smith with “On Beauty,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie with “Half of a Yellow Sun,” and Margaret Atwood with “The Blind Assassin.” Winning this prize is a huge honor for all writers.

Women’s Prize for Fiction Awards


YearReadCategoryAuthorTitleResult
1996
For FictionHelen DunmoreA Spell of WinterWon
1996
For FictionJulia BlackburnThe Book of Color / The Book of ColourNominated
1996
For FictionAmy TanThe Hundred Secret SensesNominated
1996
For FictionAnne TylerLadder of YearsNominated
1996
For FictionMarianne WigginsEveless EdenNominated
1996
For FictionPagan KennedySpinstersNominated
1997
For FictionMargaret AtwoodAlias GraceNominated
1997
For FictionAnnie ProulxAccordion CrimesNominated
1997
For FictionAnne MichaelsFugitive PiecesWon
1997
For FictionDeirdre MaddenOne by One in the DarknessNominated
1997
For FictionJane MendelsohnI Was Amelia EarhartNominated
1997
For FictionManda ScottHen's TeethNominated
1998
For FictionKirsten BakisLives of the Monster DogsNominated
1998
For FictionPauline MelvilleThe Ventriloquist's TaleNominated
1998
For FictionCarol ShieldsLarry's PartyWon
1998
For FictionAnn PatchettThe Magician's AssistantNominated
1998
For FictionAnita ShreveThe Weight of WaterNominated
1998
For FictionDeirdre PurcellLove Like Hate AdoreNominated
1999
For FictionSuzanne BerneA Crime in the NeighborhoodWon
1999
For FictionJulia BlackburnThe Leper's CompanionsNominated
1999
For FictionJane HamiltonThe Short History of a PrinceNominated
1999
For FictionBarbara KingsolverThe Poisonwood BibleNominated
1999
For FictionToni MorrisonParadiseNominated
1999
For FictionMarilyn BoweringVisible WorldsNominated
2000
For FictionLinda GrantWhen I Lived in Modern TimesWon
2000
For FictionJudy BudnitzIf I Told You OnceNominated
2000
For FictionZadie SmithWhite TeethNominated
2000
For FictionElizabeth StroutAmy and IsabelleNominated
2000
For FictionÉilís Ní DhuibhneThe Dancers DancingNominated
2000
For FictionRebecca WellsDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya SisterhoodNominated
2001
For FictionKate GrenvilleThe Idea of PerfectionWon
2001
For FictionMargaret AtwoodThe Blind AssassinNominated
2001
For FictionJill DawsonFred & EdieNominated
2001
For FictionJane SmileyHorse HeavenNominated
2001
For FictionAli SmithHotel WorldNominated
2001
For FictionRosina LippiHomesteadNominated
2002
For FictionAnn PatchettBel CantoWon
2002
For FictionAnna BurnsNo BonesNominated
2002
For FictionHelen DunmoreThe SiegeNominated
2002
For FictionMaggie GeeThe White FamilyNominated
2002
For FictionChloe HooperA Child's Book of True CrimeNominated
2002
For FictionSarah WatersFingersmithNominated
2003
For FictionValerie MartinPropertyWon
2003
For FictionAnne DonovanBuddha DaNominated
2003
For FictionShena MackayHeligolandNominated
2003
For FictionZadie SmithThe Autograph ManNominated
2003
For FictionCarol ShieldsUnlessNominated
2003
For FictionDonna TarttThe Little FriendNominated
2004
For FictionAndrea LevySmall IslandWon
2004
For FictionChimamanda Ngozi AdichiePurple HibiscusNominated
2004
For FictionMargaret AtwoodOryx and CrakeNominated
2004
For FictionShirley HazzardThe Great FireNominated
2004
For FictionRose TremainThe ColourNominated
2004
For FictionGillian SlovoIce RoadNominated
2005
For FictionLionel ShriverWe Need to Talk About KevinWon
2005
For FictionJoolz DenbyBillie MorganNominated
2005
For FictionJane GardamOld FilthNominated
2005
For FictionSheri HolmanThe Mammoth CheeseNominated
2005
For FictionMaile MeloyLiars and SaintsNominated
2005
For FictionMarina LewyckaA Short History of Tractors in UkrainianNominated
2006
For FictionZadie SmithOn BeautyWon
2006
For FictionNicole KraussThe History of LoveNominated
2006
For FictionAli SmithThe AccidentalNominated
2006
For FictionSarah WatersThe Night WatchNominated
2006
For FictionCarrie TiffanyEveryman's Rules for Scientific LivingNominated
2006
For FictionHilary MantelBeyond BlackNominated
2007
For FictionChimamanda Ngozi AdichieHalf of a Yellow SunWon
2007
For FictionRachel CuskArlington ParkNominated
2007
For FictionKiran DesaiThe Inheritance of LossNominated
2007
For FictionXiaolu GuoA Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for LoversNominated
2007
For FictionJane HarrisThe ObservationsNominated
2007
For FictionAnne TylerDigging to AmericaNominated
2008
For FictionRose TremainThe Road HomeWon
2008
For FictionSadie JonesThe OutcastNominated
2008
For FictionCharlotte MendelsonWhen We Were BadNominated
2008
For FictionNancy HustonFault Lines / Lignes de failleNominated
2008
For FictionHeather O'NeillLullabies for Little CriminalsNominated
2008
For FictionPatricia WoodLotteryNominated
2009
For FictionMarilynne RobinsonHomeWon
2009
For FictionSamantha HarveyThe WildernessNominated
2009
For FictionEllen FeldmanScottsboroNominated
2009
For FictionSamantha HuntThe Invention of Everything ElseNominated
2009
For FictionDeirdre MaddenMolly Fox's BirthdayNominated
2009
For FictionKamila ShamsieBurnt ShadowsNominated
2010
For FictionBarbara KingsolverThe LacunaWon
2010
For FictionRosie AlisonThe Very Thought of YouNominated
2010
For FictionAttica LockeBlack Water RisingNominated
2010
For FictionHilary MantelWolf HallNominated
2010
For FictionLorrie MooreA Gate at the StairsNominated
2010
For FictionMonique RoffeyThe White Woman on the Green BicycleNominated
2011
For FictionTéa ObrehtThe Tiger's WifeWon
2011
For FictionEmma DonoghueRoomNominated
2011
For FictionAminatta FornaThe Memory of LoveNominated
2011
For FictionNicole KraussGreat HouseNominated
2011
For FictionEmma HendersonGrace Williams Says It LoudNominated
2011
For FictionKathleen WinterAnnabelNominated
2012
For FictionMadeline MillerThe Song of AchillesWon
2012
For FictionEsi EdugyanHalf-Blood BluesNominated
2012
For FictionGeorgina HardingPainter of SilenceNominated
2012
For FictionAnne EnrightThe Forgotten WaltzNominated
2012
For FictionAnn PatchettState of WonderNominated
2012
For FictionCynthia OzickForeign BodiesNominated
2013
For FictionMaria SempleWhere'd You Go, BernadetteNominated
2013
For FictionHilary MantelBring Up the BodiesNominated
2013
For FictionBarbara KingsolverFlight BehaviorNominated
2013
For FictionKate AtkinsonLife After LifeNominated
2013
For FictionZadie SmithNWNominated
2013
For FictionA.M. HomesMay We Be ForgivenWon
2014
For FictionEimear McBrideA Girl Is a Half-formed ThingWon
2014
For FictionHannah KentBurial RitesNominated
2014
For FictionJhumpa LahiriThe LowlandNominated
2014
For FictionChimamanda Ngozi AdichieAmericanahNominated
2014
For FictionDonna TarttThe GoldfinchNominated
2014
For FictionAudrey MageeThe UndertakingNominated
2015
For FictionAli SmithHow to Be BothWon
2015
For FictionLaline PaullThe BeesNominated
2015
For FictionAnne TylerA Spool of Blue ThreadNominated
2015
For FictionSarah WatersThe Paying GuestsNominated
2015
For FictionKamila ShamsieA God in Every StoneNominated
2015
For FictionRachel CuskOutlineNominated
2016
For FictionLisa McInerneyThe Glorious HeresiesWon
2016
For FictionCynthia BondRubyNominated
2016
For FictionAnne EnrightThe Green RoadNominated
2016
For FictionElizabeth MckenzieThe Portable VeblenNominated
2016
For FictionHannah RothschildThe Improbability of LoveNominated
2016
For FictionHanya YanagiharaA Little LifeNominated
2017
For FictionNaomi AldermanThe PowerWon
2017
For FictionLinda GrantThe Dark CircleNominated
2017
For FictionAyọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀Stay with MeNominated
2017
For FictionGwendoline RileyFirst LoveNominated
2017
For FictionC.E. MorganThe Sport of KingsNominated
2017
For FictionMadeleine ThienDo Not Say We Have NothingNominated
2018
For FictionKamila ShamsieHome FireWon
2018
For FictionJesmyn WardSing, Unburied, SingNominated
2018
For FictionElif BatumanThe IdiotNominated
2018
For FictionJessie GreengrassSightNominated
2018
For FictionImogen Hermes GowarThe Mermaid and Mrs. HancockNominated
2018
For FictionMeena KandasamyWhen I Hit YouNominated
2019
For FictionTayari JonesAn American MarriageWon
2019
For FictionPat BarkerThe Silence of the GirlsNominated
2019
For FictionOyinkan BraithwaiteMy Sister, the Serial KillerNominated
2019
For FictionAnna BurnsMilkmanNominated
2019
For FictionMadeline MillerCirceNominated
2019
For FictionDiana EvansOrdinary PeopleNominated
2020
For FictionMaggie O'FarrellHamnet / Hamnet & JudithWon
2020
For FictionBernardine EvaristoGirl, Woman, OtherNominated
2020
For FictionHilary MantelThe Mirror and the LightNominated
2020
For FictionAngie CruzDominicanaNominated
2020
For FictionNatalie HaynesA Thousand ShipsNominated
2020
For FictionJenny OffillWeatherNominated
2021
For FictionSusanna ClarkePiranesiWon
2021
For FictionBrit BennettThe Vanishing HalfNominated
2021
For FictionClaire FullerUnsettled GroundNominated
2021
For FictionYaa GyasiTranscendent KingdomNominated
2021
For FictionPatricia LockwoodNo One is Talking About ThisNominated
2021
For FictionCherie JonesHow the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her HouseNominated
2022
For FictionLisa Allen-AgostiniThe Bread the Devil KneadNominated
2022
For FictionLouise ErdrichThe SentenceNominated
2022
For FictionMeg MasonSorrow and BlissNominated
2022
For FictionElif ShafakThe Island of Missing TreesNominated
2022
For FictionMaggie ShipsteadGreat CircleNominated
2022
For FictionRuth OzekiThe Book of Form and EmptinessWon
2023
For FictionPriscilla MorrisBlack ButterfliesNominated
2023
For FictionBarbara KingsolverDemon CopperheadWon
2023
For FictionLaline PaullPodNominated
2023
For FictionJacqueline CrooksFire RushNominated
2023
For FictionMaggie O'FarrellThe Marriage PortraitNominated
2023
For FictionLouise KennedyTrespassesNominated
2024
For FictionAnne EnrightThe Wren, the WrenNominated
2024
For FictionV.V. GaneshananthanBrotherless NightWon
2024
For FictionKate GrenvilleRestless Dolly MaunderNominated
2024
For FictionIsabella HammadEnter GhostNominated
2024
For FictionClaire KilroySoldier SailorNominated
2024
For FictionAube Rey LescureRiver East, River WestNominated

Women’s Prize for Fiction Awards F.A.Q.

What was the first name of the Women’s Prize for Fiction?

Initially it was the Orange Prize for Fiction. This was the name for it from 1996 through 2006, and again from 2009 through 2012. Other names have included the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, and the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction..

Is there a Women’s Prize for Fiction?

Yes there is! This just started in 2024 featuring books published in 2023. No winners or nominees yet.

What does the Winner Receive?

£30,000 and a bronze sculptire which has been created by Grizel Niven.

When is the Women’s Prize for Fiction announced?

The longlist is revealed usually in March. In June, the final nominees are announced, with the winner shortly after that

Have any authors won the prize multiple times?

Only once. Barbara Kingsolver for The Lacuna in 2010 and then again in 2023 for Demon Copperhead. Barbara also had The Poisonwood Bible nominated in 1999.

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