Agent, editor, entrepreneur and bookseller make up outstanding Kim Scott Walwyn Prize Shortlist

15 April 2013

A brilliant and diverse shortlist drawn from across the book trade has been announced for the only national award recognising the professional achievements and promise of women publishers, the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize.

The four talented women in the running for 2013 showcase the breadth of talent in the industry, with the shortlist featuring an agent, an editor, an entrepreneur and a bookseller.

The 2013 shortlist is:

Laura Austin -co-founder of BookMachine and ebook marketing and account manager, YUDU Media
Juliet Mushens -literary agent, The Agency Group
Laura Palmer - co-founder and editorial director, Head of Zeus
Miriam Robinson -head of marketing, Foyles

About the Prize

The Prize was founded in honour of Kim Scott Walwyn, a publishing director at Oxford University Press, who died at the age of 45. This year marks the tenth anniversary of her death. She was an outstanding editor and a generous and inspirational manager whose career was widely recognised and celebrated during her life. The Prize, which is open to any woman who has worked in publishing in the UK for up to seven years, is managed by Booktrust, the independent reading and writing charity which is responsible for a number of successful book prizes.

Each shortlisted candidate will receive a one-day training course to aid their career development, courtesy of The Publishing Training Centre. The winner of the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize 2013, who receives £1000 sponsored by the SYP and a two-day training course courtesy of the PTC, will be announced at an award ceremony at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon on Wednesday 15 May.

Previous winners of the prestigious Prize include: in 2012, Rukhsana Yasmin, commissioning editor at Saqi/The Westbourne Press/Telegram, who is a judge for this year's Prize, and in 2004 - the inaugural year - Lynette Owen (OBE), copyright director of Pearson Education.

Andrew Turner, former chair of the SYP and member of the judging panel said:

'I was truly honoured not only to be a judge of the 2013 Kim Scott Walwyn Prize, but also to become the first male to ever be a judge for the award. Every single applicant this year blew me away with their passion, creativity and dedication to not only their jobs but the industry as a whole. Every one of the applicants highlighted the reasons the SYP sponsor the Prize as their imagination and fearlessness drive the industry into the future, something we look to encourage all emerging publishers to do.'

Andrew Turner will briefly discuss his experience of judging the Prize and the shortlisted candidates at the beginning of the 'How to Get Ahead in Publishing' seminar at London Book Fair, run by the Prize's partner, the Society of Young Publishers, at 2.45-3.45pm, 15 April 2013, in Conference Centre Room 1 and 2.

Catherine Clarke, co-chair of the Prize Advisory Committee and the judging panel commented:

'The Kim Scott Walwyn Prize recognises the talents and outstanding achievements of women in the early stages of their publishing careers. The judges are aware that putting yourself forward for this Prize and making a strong case for your own success takes a lot of courage, and we were deeply impressed with the evidence of innovation, passion and sheer hard work in this year's applications. The range reflected the dynamic, challenging, changing ways of bringing books to readers: editors, publicists, agents, booksellers, and social network founders were among the applicants. So it was very hard to choose our shortlist of four from such a rich array.'

Peter McKay, chief executive, The Publishing Training Centre commented:

'Publishing is a very diverse industry, which relies completely on the quality and dedication of its people and women play a major part in the success of the industry. The Publishing Training Centre acknowledges this contribution and is glad to support an award that specifically recognises this. We look forward to welcoming the shortlisted entrants and the winner when they take up the offer of training with us.'

The full line-up of judges for the 2013 Prize is:

(Co-chair) Catherine Clarke - literary agent and managing director, Felicity Bryan Agency
(Co-chair) Denise Johnstone-Burt - publisher, Walker Books
Nicola Crossley - SYP vice-chair 2010; Trade Non Fiction, Orion Books
Andrew Turner - SYP vice-chair and treasurer 2013; Nelson Croom
Rukhsana Yasmin - winner of the 2012 Prize and commissioning editor at Saqi/The Westbourne Press/Telegram

The Prize Advisory Committee is:

Professor Dame Gillian Beer DBE, FBA, FRSL, (King Edward VII Professor Emeritus, University of Cambridge), Catherine Clarke (literary agent and managing director, Felicity Bryan Agency), Nicola Crossley (SYP Vice-Chair 2010 and editorial assistant,Trade Non Fiction, Orion Books), Denise Johnstone-Burt (publisher, Walker Books), Kate Jury (garden and landscape designer, Oxford Garden Partners; formerly a marketing director, Oxford University Press), Hermione Lee CBE (writer, English Literature Professor and President, Wolfson College Oxford), Fiona Maddocks (chief music critic, the Observer) and Francine Stock (novelist and broadcaster).

Find out more about the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize