FAQ's
What is the People's Book Prize?
What are The People’s Book Prize aims?
- finding, supporting and promoting new and undiscovered works of literature
- help to eradicate illiteracy
Why was The People’s Book Prize created?
- to give authors a better chance of being read
- to create a unique space where publishers can showcase their authors’ work
- to offer marketing, sales and social media support to publishers and their authors
- to give the public the opportunity to choose the next Bestsellers and discover new talent
- to encourage community interaction and take an active role
- to celebrate reading
- to get people reading – everybody can take part
Has The People’s Book Prize a Constitution?
- To champion new and undiscovered literary works.
- To secure a transparent democratic process
- To empower the public to vote with confidence for the next bestsellers
- To engage the community
- To raise the profile of publishers, libraries and writers
- To form an alliance with retailers to sell and distribute winners’ books.
- To support literacy
- To foster a love of reading
- To inspire the next generation of best untapped writing talent
- To eradicate illiteracy
How are the books chosen?
Publishers are invited to submit titles.
Can authors submit their books?
Only through their publisher.
How does it work?
The 2023/2024 collection starts on 3 October 2023 which the public can vote for until 30 April 2024.
How many categories are in each collection?
How do people vote?
You can vote: for 3 different books in each of the 3 categories: Fiction, Non Fiction, Children’s: Click on the category and browse through the titles showcased BUT only ONCE for the book of your choice from the dedicated page of that title — otherwise our system will reject it.
You do not need to register or login.
How many books can people vote for?
One vote per book:
For the Entries showcased in a Collection:
You can vote for 9 different books:
3 books from Fiction, 3 from Non-fiction and 3 from Children’s (9 books in total)
How are the winners chosen?
Members of the public vote for their favourite books on www.peoplesbookprize.com
Winners are announced at the Awards Ceremony. (See below)
The People’s Book Prize have no judges. YOU are the Jury!
How many times can I vote for a book?
You cannot vote for the same book twice – it will be rejected.
How are votes registered?
How many Awards?
Six:
The People’s Book Prize for Fiction | Non-Fiction | Children’s Literature
The Beryl Bainbridge Award for a First Time Author
The People’s Book Prize Special Achievement Award
The People’s Book Prize Best Publisher Award
Why is The People’s Book Prize unique?
In the words of our Founding Patron, Dame Beryl Bainbridge DBE: “…this idea – which is absolutely amazing – will be of enormous importance to writers. I look forward to the time when we mention this particular prize as the greatest…”
The 2021/2022 Winners
The winners of the 2021/2022 Collection were announced on the
The People's Book Prize for Fiction
Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden, published by Canongate Books
The People's Book Prize for Non-Fiction
A State of Fear By Laura Dodsworth, published by Pinter & Martin
The People's Book Prize for Children's Literature
Yapping Away By Joshua Seigal, published by Bloomsbury Publishing
The Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award
Red Corona By Tim Glister, published by Oneworld Publications
The People's Book Prize Best Achievement Award
Florence Nightingale at Home By Paul Crawford, Anna Greenwood, Richard Bates & Jonathan Memel, published by Palgrave Macmillan
The People's Book Prize Best Publisher Award
Poems & Pictures
The 2020/2021 Winners:
The Winners of the 2020/2021 Collection were announced on the 6th May 2021 and are as follows:
The People's Book Prize for Fiction
The Smart Woman's Guide to Murder by Victoria Dowd, published by Joffe Books
The People's Book Prize for Non-Fiction
Just Gill by John Dalley, published by Victorina Press
The People's Book Prize for Children's Literature
Baller Boys by Venessa Taylor, published by Hashtag Press
The Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award
You Have to Make Your Own Fun Around Here by Frances Macken, published by Oneworld Publications
The People's Book Prize Best Achievement Award
Who Cares? by Sara Challice, published by Hammersmith Books Limited
The People's Book Prize Best Publisher Award
Filiment Publishing Limited
The 2019/2020 Ceremony:
Celebrating our 11th Anniversary
The Winners of the 2019/2020 Collection were announced at
The People’s Book Prize 11th Awards Ceremony, in the presence of Patron Frederick Forsyth CBE on 23th July 2020.
It was decided to have a virtual online event rather than the prestigious black-tie dinner, as large gatherings are not possible this year.
The Winners:
The People’s Book Prize for Fiction
The Weighing of the Heart by Paul Tudor Owen published by Obliterati Press
The People’s Book Prize for Non-Fiction
A Girl Behind Dark Glasses by Jessica Taylor-Bearman published by Hashtag Press
The People’s Book Prize for Children’s Literature
Bea by Nigel Wormack published by Poems & Pictures
The Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award
You OK, Christy? By Christy Fleming published by Onstream Publications
The People’s Book Prize Best Achievement Award
Alder by Graham Parry published by Blossom Spring Publishing
The People’s Book Prize Best Publisher Award
Hashtag Press Ltd.
The People’s Book Prize Patron Emeritus Award
Frederick Forsyth CBE
The People’s Book Prize are privileged to have Frederick Forsyth CBE as their patron. He is a giant in English Literature. An inspiration to writers. A great talent. His novels are read by millions and many have been made into fascinating films. Even his autobiography reads like a thriller. When you have a FF book you know you are going to have a superb read. In recognition of his 10 years of tenure and with grateful thanks, Frederick Forsyth was presented with The People’s Book Prize Patron Emeritus Award by Founder Tatiana Wilson.
TPBP Director Tony Humphreys thanked the congregation for attending and reminded publishers to submit their entries for the 2021 Winter collection that starts on 1 October 2020 – online submission forms from www.peoplesbookprize.com deadline to submit 15 September 2020.
For further information pr@peoplesbookprize.com
Paul Tudor Owen’s book ‘The Weighing Of The Heart’ is an intriguing debut novel about the theft of a priceless piece of Egyptian art in New York.
Children’s author Nigel Womack and illustrator Ursula Hurst have produced a charming book for young readers about a bee called ‘Bea’, who knits herself a jersey – not of black and yellow – but one of many colours.
Non-Fiction winner Jessica Taylor-Bearman’s book ‘The Girl Behind Dark Glasses’ recounts her struggle to survive after she was struck down with the neuro-immune disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis at 15 years old – which landed her in a darkened hospital room, unable to communicate, for four years.
The First-Time Author award was won this year by Christy Fleming for his memoir ‘You OK, Christy?’, an inspirational story of how one person’s indomitable spirit helped to overcome the many adversities that life threw at him.
The Best Achievement award is given each year to the author whose book advances the human condition, benefitting their community, or the world at large in some way. This year’s winner, Graham Parry, has written a fantastical children’s book that aims to give support to children suffering the trauma of being in hospital. A percentage of every sale of the book is being donated to the NHS.
The winner of this year’s Best Publisher award is Hashtag Press, a dynamic all-female publishing company that has been operating for only three years. They’ve already published 20 books, and four of their authors reached the finals in this year’s People’s Book Prize. Two of the company’s directors, Helen Lewis and Abiola Bello, attended the award ceremony.
The renowned author Frederick Forsyth CBE received at the ceremony The People’s Book Prize Emeritus Award after 10 years of tenure. He succeeded the founding patron Dame Beryl Bainbridge, DBE who sadly passed away in 2010 after serving as patron for only one year.
For more information, visit our website at www.peoplesbookprize.com
Rewarding talent voted exclusively by the public:
6 Awards: For Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s,
Best Achievement, Best Publisher and The Beryl Bainbridge First-Time Author Award.
Patron Emeritus: Frederick Forsyth CBE
Founding Patron: Dame Beryl Bainbridge DBE
Previous Ceremonies:
The 2018/2019 Ceremony:
The 6 winners were announced at the prestigious black tie Awards Ceremony at the historic Stationers’ Hall on 8th May 2019 -
The 2016/2017 Ceremony:
SKY NEWS/THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE AWARDS EVENT CEREMONY
The 2015/2016 Ceremony
12th July 2016 SKY NEWS
Short Winners only: SKY NEWS/THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE