Six new voices shortlisted for 10th 4thWrite short-story prize
Six unpublished writers have made the shortlist for the 10th 4thWrite prize, the short-story competition for writers of colour run by publisher 4th Estate with The Guardian. The Guardian
The shortlist was revealed on 2 October 2026. Six stories were chosen. This year is the 10th year of the prize.
The shortlisted writers and stories are Clementine Wolodarsky for I Only Mug Girls, Darren Chan for Love Bite, Ope Adedeji for Omugwo, Meher Iqbal for Darkroom, Diya Nair for Minty Fresh and Svetlana Chigozie Onye for London 2060.
The winner will receive £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of the winning story on the Guardian website. That package mixes cash, training and exposure. Publication online puts the story in front of a general readership beyond the trade.
The prize is open to writers aged 18 and over living in the UK or Ireland who have not yet published a book. Unpublished here means without a prior book deal, a common entry rule for discovery prizes that aim to find new talent.
This year's judging panel includes Sanam Mahloudji, Chanté Joseph, Kamila Shamsie, Gurnaik Johal, Ella Creamer, Emma Paterson and Kishani Widyaratna. Johal served as a guest judge to mark the anniversary. The Guardian
What makes this stand out is the loop. Johal was shortlisted for the same prize in 2018 for the story The Piano, and is the author of We Move. Eight years on, he returns on the other side of the table.
Recent winners give a sense of the roll call. Piyumi Kapugeekiyana won last year for The Original Is Not Here. Yan F Zhang won in 2024 for Fleeting Marrow. Tian Yi won in 2023 for The Good Son.
For new readers, this is a simple entry point. Six short stories. Six names to watch. One winner still to come.
