Success Stories

CWIP not only celebrates the best, witty, published novels through its comedy literary prize with massive press and profile raising – it, uniquely, creates careers for new and unpublished witty women authors. By shining the spotlight on unsung and celebrated witty writers, CWIP has changed the conversation and created a parity of women’s representation in the literary canvas. Dreams come true….  Women have long been underrepresented as drivers of wit. In 2017, most shows attributed 81% of their writing credits to males. Now it is time to address the lack of parity and diversity in women’s witty writing in novels, short stories and on the page everywhere! CWIP goes to the very source of women’s writing opportunities. There are no other provisions of this kind for women in comedy within the literary canvas. If we can encourage wit at source, we can make a difference in the world.

 

Jilly Cooper, Sharon Horgan, Jo Brand, Ruth Jones, Katy Brand, Mel Giedroyc, Meera Syal and Vanessa Feltz are just a few of our influencers and supporters. Patrons and Judges include Marian Keyes, Dame Maureen Lipman, Lolly Adefope and Shazia Mirza. A top publisher publishes the winner of the unpublished prize and offer a cash advance.

 

Titled published books & Other Success Stories enabled by the CWIP Prize for Unpublished Writers

Congratulations to CWIP's amazing alumni!

​

2025 'The Night Shift' (One More Chapter) by Nancy Peach (2020 LONGLISTED)

​

2025 'Girls Just Want to Have Sun' (Boldwood Books) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

​

2025 'Kiss, Marry, Murder' (Bronze Books) by Faye Brann (2020 WINNER)

​

2025 'Death and Other Occupational Hazards' (Bantam) by Veronika Dapunt (2022/23 RUNNER UP)

 

2025 'Aged to Perfection' (One More Chapter) by Niloufar Lamakan (2022/23 COMMENDATION AWARD)

 

2025 'Homesick' (Harper Collins)​ by Silvia Saunders (2022/23 WINNER) 

 

2025 'Grace of the Empire State' (Headline Review) by Gemma Tizzard (2021 LONGLISTED)

​

2024 'We Three Kings' (Storm Publishing) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

​

2024 'Benidorm Cocktail Hour' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

​

2024 'Has Anyone Seen My Husband?' (Embla) by Kathleen Whyman (2020 LONGLISTED)

​

2024 'Textbook Romance' (Storm Publishing) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2024 ‘How to Solve Murders Like a Lady’ (Aria, Head of Zeus) by Hannah Dolby (2021 RUNNER UP)

​

2024 'Benidorm Again' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

 

2024 'Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard' (Aria, Head of Zeus) by Carrie Walker (aka Jo McGrath 2021 LONGLISTED)

 

2024 'We Were on a Break' (Boldwood Books) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2024 'Love on the Island' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

 

2024 'Dead Tired' (Zaffre) by Kat Ailes (2021 RUNNER UP) 

 

2024 'Hot Mother' (Hera) by Nancy Peach (2020 LONGLISTED)

 

2024 'Can You Keep A Secret?' (Boldwood Books) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2024 'Daughters of the Nile' (Unbound) by Zahra Barri (2020 RUNNER UP) 

 

2023 'Escape to the Swiss Chalet' (Aria, Head of Zeus) by Carrie Walker (aka Jo McGrath 2021 LONGLISTED)

​

2023 'Five Gold Rings' (Storm Publishing) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2023 'The Mother of All Problems' (Hera) by Nancy Peach (2020 LONGLISTED)

 

2023 'Would You Ask My Husband That?' (Embla) by Kathleen Whyman (2020 LONGLISTED)

 

2023 'The Expectant Detectives' (Bonnier Books) by Kat Ailes (2021 RUNNER UP)

 

2023 'Another Time, Another Place' (Boldwood Books) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

​

2023 'Sex Ed' (Storm Publishing) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

​

2023 'The Coach Trip' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

 

2023 ‘What the Foccacia!’ (Zaffre) by Ginger Jones (aka Kirsty Eyre 2019 WINNER) 

​

2023 'Your Place or Mine?' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

 

2023 ‘The Purgatory Poisoning’ Rebecca Rogers (Harper Collins) by Rebecca Rogers (2021 WINNER)

 

2023 ‘No Life for a lady’ (Aria, Head of Zeus) by Hannah Dolby (2021 RUNNER UP)

​

2022 'Great Sexpectations' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2022 'Just Friends' (Bookouture) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2022 'Am I Allergic to Men?' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2022 'Benidorm, actually' (Gekko Press) by Jo Lyons (2021 SHORTLISTED)

 

2022 'Double Booked' (Head of Zeus) by Lily Lindon (#FlashYourFiction WINNER)

 

2022 'You Had Me At Halloumi' (Zaffre) by Ginger Jones (aka Kirsty Eyre 2019 WINNER) 

 

2021 'The Mistletoe Pact' (Bookouture) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2021 'Lives Like Mine' (Simon & Schuster) by Eva Verde (2019 LONGLISTED)

​

2021 'The House Swap' (Bookouture) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2021 'Love Life' (One More Chapter) by Nancy Peach (2020 LONGLISTED)

 

2021 'Wife Support System' (Hera Books) by Kathleen Whyman (2020 SHORTLISTED)

 

2021 'Did My Love Life Shrink in the Wash?' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2021 'The Sister Surprise' (One More Chapter) by Abigail Mann (2019 RUNNER UP)

​

2021 'How Much Wine Will Fix My Broken Heart?' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2021 ‘Tinker, Tailor, Schoolmum, Spy’ (Harper Collins) by Faye Brann (2020 WINNER)

 

2020 'The First Time We Met' (Bookouture) by Jo Lovett (2019 LONGLISTED)

 

2020 'Can I Give My Husband Back?' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2020 'Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life' (Bookouture) by Kristen Bailey (2019 LONGLISTED) 

 

2020 ‘The Lonely Fajita’ (One More Chapter) by Abigail Mann (2019 RUNNER UP)

 

2020 ‘Cowgirl’ (Harper Collins) by Kirsty Eyre (2019 WINNER)

​

Many Longlisted and Shortlisted authors have gone on to acquire agents and have since been commissioned by publishers.