Thank you for clicking. This is an incredibly positive step and I like you already.

I’m Helen Lederer. Short, fat comedian from the 80’s. I set up the Comedy Women In Print Prize out of bitterness, frustration, and an unsightly egotistic grumpiness about being ignored. You may know me from Absolutely Fabulous where I said ‘lovely chairs‘ a lot, or perhaps from my comedy novel ‘Losing it’ or maybe you just think I might be your dentist which is quite common. Anyway, when I finished writing my comedy novel, I looked around, rather hopefully, for a comedy literary prize for women (to win) and discovered there wasn’t one. So, I set one up myself. I had no idea that it would change lives, but it has.

Who knew how many unpublished witty women writers were out there, who deserved to be published but couldn’t get inside the system? As someone who has cracked through some hurdles, (did I mention bitter?) I’m thrilled to report that Harper Fiction offers a publishing deal to the winner, while two runners up receive money, mentorship, and an MA in comedy. CWIP made this happen.

Two years ago – 23 out of 25 bestselling funny books were written by women and yet there was still no official literary prize to showcase and capitalise on this huge, glaringly obvious, market. And how about being allowed more than one woman at a time to be witty? We are so behind, it’s embarrassing!

The CWIP published winner receives recognition, a cash prize but even more importantly, the CWIP endorsement changes perceptions and increases visibility. Here is how CWIP has helped authors:

- Kirsty Eyre, CWIP unpublished winner 2019

Marian Keyes, bestselling author and Head Judge, believes fervently in ‘pushing boundaries for female fiction.’

Thing is, I can’t do the pushing and get to 2021 without your help. With a bit more of your loveliness for reading this far, we can continue to create new careers and visibility for witty women. Can you offer a tenna? (not the pad, unless you’ve got loads) and be part of this with us. We get it if you can’t spare anything right now, but bear in mind the power of laughing is better than a Victoria Sponge, sex, or golf.

I don’t want the last five years of cajoling, canvassing, creating windows of opportunity to have been for nothing. All literary prizes have considerable costs attached, particularly with the imminent 2020 shortlisted and winner’s announcement. They just do. Admin, PR, technical, author-led masterclasses, and a ceremony to enable writers, agents, and publishers to connect. To have got this far it would beyond tragic not to continue.

With your help, we can keep our team together, we can secure and build on this initiative. Most importantly, we can ensure CWIP keeps going.The prize has a future. Let's keep changing women's lives in the way they deserve.