Announcing the London Writers Awards Judges 2026

Published Date: 09/09/2025

Spread the Word is excited to reveal the judges for the London Writers Awards 2026. The sixth year of the highly successful writer development programme will run from February 2026 to November 2026 for 24 writers of commercial, literary, and YA/Children’s fiction. Applications are open from 23 September to 30 October 2025. Spread the Word’s Ruth Harrison is running a free online seminar on 30 September at 7pm for potential applicants.

The 2025 Awards will be judged by author judges: Tasneem Abdur-Rashid, Ashani Lewis, Tom Newlands and Alexandra Sheppard. The industry judges are: Kerry-Ann Bentley (KAB Literary), Juliet Pickering (Blake Friedmann), Liv Maidment (Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency) and Christabel McKinley (DHA).

Commercial Fiction Judges

Tasneem Abdur-Rashid is a British Bengali author from London, and the writer of three adult novels and one YA novel. She has worked in media, PR, and communications for over 15 years across the UK and the Middle East and holds both a BA and an MA in Creative Writing. Her debut rom-com, Finding Mr Perfectly Fine, was published by Bonnier/Zaffre in July 2022 as part of a two-book deal. Her third novel, The Thirty Before Thirty List, was longlisted for the 2024 Jhalak Prize for Fiction. In 2025, Tasneem published her debut YA novel Odd Girl Out with David Fickling Books, which has been longlisted for the Warwickshire Teen Book Awards.

Tasneem says:

“The London Writers Awards is a vital and transformative programme that provides talented writers from underrepresented backgrounds with the space, support and structure to develop their voices and stories. As someone who writes commercial fiction rooted in identity, culture and lived experience, I know how hard it can be to break into an industry that hasn’t always felt built for us. That’s why I’m so proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative – one that opens doors, nurtures talent and is actively working to change the face of publishing from the inside out.”

Kerry-Ann Bentley is Jamaican-born and has lived in the Caribbean, the UK and the U.S. and this transatlantic experience is reflected in the writers she loves to read. Bentley graduated with a First-class degree in English & United States Literature from the University of Essex. Then, she earned her master’s with Distinction in Caribbean Literature and its Diasporas from Goldsmiths, University of London. She got her start in agenting as an intern at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and joined the agency full time in 2020, working across the New York and London offices. Kerry-Ann has worked closely with incredible writers such as Maggie Nelson, Olivia Laing, Kiese Laymon, Eileen Myles, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Plum Sykes, Mason Coile, and others. She founded KABL in 2025 to represent exceptional writing talent from around the world and to advocate for writers traditionally overlooked in publishing.

Kerry-Ann says: “I’ve always been a fan of the way the London Writers Awards has committed themselves to finding fresh and exciting literary talent. Spread the Word is such an important organisation for its mission in making publishing accessible to those who have been traditionally excluded from the mainstream literary landscape. I’m delighted to be a part of the programme that aligns with so many of my agency’s core values. The London Writers Awards is a fantastic opportunity for emerging writers and has a track-record of placing budding literary talent on the trajectory to publication and launching successful careers. I can’t wait to engage with this year’s cohort.”

Literary Fiction Judges

Ashani Lewis is a novelist and short story writer. She was a winner of the London Writers Awards 2021 in the literary fiction category. She was a recipient of the 2025 Somerset Maugham Award for her debut novel, Winter Animals, which was also the winner of the 2025 Betty Trask Prize. Her short story collection, Everest, was shortlisted for the 2025 Jhalak Prize. Both books were listed in Marie Claire’s ‘Best Books Of 2024’.

Ashani says: “The London Writers Awards scheme is one of the most authentically mission-driven initiatives I’ve ever engaged with. It demystifies a process which can sometimes seem deliberately, exclusively confusing. But it doesn’t just explain, or clarify the process: it actually organises concrete opportunities for participants on the route to publication. The team at Spread The Word go above and beyond to provide support at every stage of the programme, and the feedback groups offer access to peer review from talented writers at similar stages in their careers – to this day, conversations with the writers from my feedback group influence the books I read and the way I think about the industry. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read the submissions of a whole new cohort!”

Tom Newlands is a neurodivergent writer from Scotland. His acclaimed debut novel Only Here, Only Now won the McKitterick Prize, was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and was awarded runner-up for the ADCI Literary Prize. He is also the winner of a London Writers Award and a Creative Future Writers’ Award.

Tom says: “When I entered the London Writer’s Award program in 2021 I had been writing seriously for a little over a year. I was clueless about publishing, had little idea how to finish the novel I was working on, and lacked confidence in myself as a writer. My time on the London Writer’s Award was transformative in each of these respects, giving me the tools needed to finish my manuscript, secure an agent, navigate the industry and look forward to a career as a writer. The London Writer’s Award now has a proven track record of supporting and nurturing talent, building communities of writers, and providing a pathway to publication. I can’t wait to meet the writers that the next cohort will uncover, and to read the work they have produced. It is more important than ever that marginalised voices are heard.”

Juliet Pickering is an agent and director at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, where she represents a wide-ranging list of fiction and non-fiction. She is most drawn to stories focussing on our experiences of love, family and friendship, and books that challenge inequality or hold an important conversation. Her authors include Diane Abbott MP, Kasim Ali, Graeme Armstrong, Bolu Babalola, Kerry Hudson and Sue Moorcroft. Juliet is also on the board of the Working Class Writers’ Festival.

Juliet says: “The London Writers Awards always throws a light on exciting, intriguing writing and a host of authors with real dynamism. I’m delighted to be joining the judges this year and can’t wait to see what the entries bring us. It’s an award that is vital to the industry at a time when we struggle to reach the writers we most want to include in our publishing, and I’m deeply grateful for the varied and incredible talent it’s brought to us and to readers so far.”

Liv Maidment is Head of Books and a Literary Agent at Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV, & Film Agency where she represents literary, upmarket, and book club fiction. Her client list includes bestselling, critically acclaimed, and award-winning novelists.

Liv says: “I’m thrilled to be a judge for the 2026 London Writers Awards. What the London Writers Awards champions—equity, accessibility, and the nurturing of talented writers from under‑represented communities—is essential to the future of publishing in the city and beyond, as seen in the incredible success of their past cohorts. It’s inspiring to be part of an initiative that not only spotlights and develops gifted emerging writers but gives them the connections and confidence to thrive.”

YA/Children’s Fiction Judges

Alexandra Sheppard is a YA and MG author from London. Her debut YA novel Oh My Gods is featured in Buzzfeed, Refinery29 and The Guardian’s Summer Reading List. It was also shortlisted for the Bristol Teen Book Award 2019. Her second YA novel Friendship Never Ends was longlisted for The Jhalak Prize 2024 and shortlisted for The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2024. Her debut MG novel Alyssa & The Spell Garden was released to critical acclaim and longlisted for The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award 2025. She lives in Islington with her family.

Alexandra says: “The London Writers Awards has a stunning track record of honing and developing new voices from underrepresented backgrounds – this year, that mission seems more urgent than ever. It feels as though the gains we made in diversity and inclusion over the last few years are being rolled back as quickly as they appeared, and it’s initiatives like this that are fighting back. I am unbelievably honoured to be a judge on this year’s panel, and to play a small role in bringing much-needed representation to the publishing space.”

Christabel McKinley is a literary agent at David Higham Associates, where she has worked since 2018. Prior to this, she worked in translation rights at a publisher, at a scouting agency, and as an ESL teacher in Seoul. Her focus as an agent is on books for young readers, including graphic novels and non-fiction alongside fiction. She takes an international approach to publishing, with clients based around the world and sold widely in translation. Her eye is always drawn to a story that hasn’t been told before, as well as an authentic voice that speaks directly to young people. Last year she was a Bookseller Rising Star.

Christabel says: “I am honoured to be taking part in The London Writers Awards, an invaluable scheme that has already lead to over 62 book deals and, as a result, an instantly more representative publishing landscape. I admire particularly the scheme’s dedication to long-term support for writers, with a focus on supporting the manuscript’s development over several months – something I know from experience makes all the difference to both a writer’s confidence and a story’s completion. I look forward to being a part of this journey and discovering all the new worlds waiting to be shared.”

Applications will be open from midday on Tuesday 23 September and close at 5pm on Thursday 30 October. The London Writers Awards application pack, which includes Eligibility Criteria, Terms & Conditions and FAQs will be available online from 22 September 2025 in text, audio and inclusive read formats. Click here for updates.

 

Published: 9 September 2025