Lucy Kissik named winner of inaugural W&A Working Class Writer's Prize

Writers & Artists, a part of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., announced at the end of July that Lucy Kissik was named the winner of the inaugural Writers & Artists Working-Class Writers’ Prize for her debut novel Plutoshine.

The prize was launched in March and called for writers who considered themselves of a working class background and did not currently have a literary agent or publishing contract.

Selected from 200 entrants, Kissik will receive editorial feedback and a place at one of W&A's How to Get Published Events. Since being announced for the shortlist for the honor, Kissik has signed with a literary agent.

“Receiving this Prize means so many things to me." Kissik reflected, "The pride I now feel for my work means I can hold myself taller – call myself a writer and feel like one. Moreover it means my writing is no longer just a pastime: last week I signed with a literary agent, Julie Crisp,  and now I could be one step closer to my dearest hope of becoming a published author. I’m so grateful to Writers & Artists and Natasha Carthew for organising and judging the Working-Class Writers’ Prize. Sitting down to write requires time and headspace — it requires the sacrifice of more reliable sources of income — and for those of slim financial means this is an all-too discouraging risk. Holding a competition to recognise writers from this oft-overlooked demographic is one of many ways we can work to create equality of opportunity for UK writers.”