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



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