How to Enter

The 2007 CWP is now closed for entry
Regional shortlists will be announced 6 February 2007.

Please read the Eligibility and Entry rules carefully before submitting the on line entry form.

Alternatively, download the format the bottom of this pageand send it with three copies of each entry to the appropriate regional chairperson. In addition one copy of each book and a copy of the entry form must be sent to :

The Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Commonwealth Foundation, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HY

ELIGIBILITY RULES

There is no restriction on setting, theme or mode. There is no requirement that the subject of the work should deal with the concept, values and work of the Commonwealth.

Any work of prose fiction is eligible; i.e. a novel or collection of short stories, with the exception of any work written for children alone, or drama or poetry.

Non-fiction books, i.e. memoirs are not eligible for the CWP

To be eligible for the 2007 CWP, the work must meet the following criteria:

  • The work must have been written by a citizen of a Commonwealth country and the publisher must verify the author's citizenship before entering the book.
  • It must be of a reasonable length It must have been first published between 1 December 2005 and 31 December 2006. (By submitting a book published in 2005, the publisher must affirm that it was first published in the month of December, after the deadline for the 2006 Prize, and must be able to supply proof upon request.)
  • Its author must be alive on the closing date for entries.
  • The entry must be originally written in English. (We regret that works translated from other languages are not eligible.)
  • For a collection of short stories to be eligible, at least half of the short stories in the collection must have been published after 1 January 2002.


To be eligible for the Best First Book Prize, in addition to the above criteria, the entry must be : 

the first work of fiction (i.e. a novel or collection of short stories) which the author has published with an adult readership in mind.

ENTRY RULES

Entries of all books published before 15 November 2006 must be received by the chairpersons by that date.

  • Entries must be made by the publisher.
  • Entries should be submitted to the region of the
    writer's Commonwealth citizenship. Please click here for the CWP regions
  •  In all regions except Africa, publishers will be
    restricted to two entries per category, per
    region. To encourage more submissions,
    publishers may submit three books per
    category in the Africa region.
  • For publishers with multiple imprints, each
    imprint may make two entries per category
    (three in the Africa region).
  • The same book may not be entered in both
    categories. Publishers are strongly advised to
    enter first books in the Best First Book category,
    but may choose to enter them in the
    Best Book category.
  • Publishers must obtain the author's consent
    before submitting her/his book.

    Click here to continue filling out the 2007 Entry Form or download the PDF form below


Related Documents
2007 Entry form 440 KB)