Libraro: A New Reader-Led Literary Prize
- 2 hours ago
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An unpublished novel exploring cancel culture in the post-#MeToo era has won the inaugural Libraro prize, an award set up to “sidestep the traditional barricades of the book industry” by allowing readers to select a shortlist from manuscripts uploaded to a platform directly by writers.
Sheep’s Clothing by Donna Fisher follows a singer and her on-and-off friendship with a bestselling author who is accused of sexual assault. Judges for the Libraro prize described it as “well-written, provocative and timely”, commending its “compulsive, page-turning quality and strong narrative voice”. Fisher will receive £30,000 in prize money, £20,000 in marketing support, and the option of a book deal with publisher Hachette UK.
The novel was selected from a six-strong shortlist drawn from more than 2,000 submissions on the Libraro platform, a community-driven digital publishing initiative with more than 15,000 members. The shortlist was picked by readers, before being judged by an industry panel. This makes the Libraro prize unlike other literary gongs because it gives readers, rather than industry gatekeepers, a role in championing emerging talent.
“When Libraro launched, the goal was simple: to give undiscovered writing a fair shot at being seen, recognised, and backed by real readers,” said Arsim Shillova, founder of Libraro. “When you put readers at the centre of discovery, exceptional stories surface.”
The Libraro prize is open to anyone aged 18 or over, worldwide, regardless of previous publishing history or professional representation.
