A new literary prize honouring the late author Dame Hilary Mantel has been established to champion emerging writers, reports bbc.com. Launching on the third anniversary of her death, The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction aims to support unpublished writers living in the UK and Ireland who do not have an agent.
The award, which will be given biennially, was inspired by private correspondence that revealed Mantel’s lifelong commitment to mentoring aspiring authors. According to the report, the winner will receive a cash prize, professional mentorship from a literary agent, and a place on a residential writing course with the Arvon Foundation.
Bestselling author Maggie O’Farrell, who will chair the judging panel, praised the initiative, noting that encouragement from a writer of Mantel’s calibre is “nothing short of transformative.” O’Farrell, who exchanged letters with Mantel, described her correspondence as “sparkling and incisive.” The award for unpublished work was deemed the most fitting way to honour Mantel’s legacy of quiet guidance and support.
The renowned author, a two-time Booker Prize winner, was known for her celebrated “Wolf Hall” trilogy. She was also an honorary president of the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival and a mentor to many, including author Katie Ward, who was mentored by Mantel for 15 years after facing 44 rejections for her first novel. The prize ensures her legacy of fostering new talent will continue to thrive.
•Featured image:Hilary Mantel/BBC
