New Hilary Mantel prize to help emerging writers

A new literary prize in memory of author Dame Hilary Mantel has been set up to champion new writers.

The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction is being launched on the third anniversary of her death after her private correspondence revealed she had mentored aspiring writers throughout her life.

Organisers of the new biennial prize said it was open to unpublished writers without an agent living in the UK or Ireland, and the winner would get a cash prize, mentoring from an agent and a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course.

Devon-based Dame Hilary herself won the prestigious Booker Prize twice and is probably best known for her book Wolf Hall that became a BBC TV series.

The judging panel will be chaired by bestselling author Maggie O’Farrell.

She said: “Encouragement from a writer of Hilary Mantel’s stature is nothing short of transformative. It’s like winning a thousand lotteries for debut writers.”

The two authors shared an agent and it was decided offering an award for unpublished writing was the best way to honour her memory.

O’Farrell said she had two letters from Dame Hilary when they were shortlisted for the same prize.

She said she kept the prized the correspondence folded inside her books, adding: “Any letter from her was like everything she ever wrote – sparkling and incisive and just a joy to read.”

Budleigh Salterton-based Dame Hilary was honorary president of the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival for the last decade of her life before she died on 22 September 2020 aged 70, and was a big part of the community in the town.

Katie Ward was one author invited to speak at the festival by the author.

She has now published two books, but, when she started being mentored by Hilary Mantel in her 20s, she was struggling to get an agent for her first novel.

She said: “I had had 44 rejections from agents… I was introduced by email and Hilary was just so supportive and encouraging.

“She said, for example, that her first written novel wasn’t her first published novel, and she had been through the same thing herself, and we stayed in touch for her last 15 years.”

Current Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival director Kate Abbey said: “Each year we champion the work of debut authors with the Hilary Mantel Emerging Writers’ Panel.

“Festivals and prizes like this new one play key roles in giving a platform and a voice to new talent.”

Dame Hilary published 17 books over four decades.