Penny Richards wins NZ$10,000 Allen & Unwin fiction prize
The Nelson writer's debut novel Soft beat a strong field and will be published in mid-2027.
Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand has named Nelson writer Penny Richards the winner of its 2026 Fiction Prize for her novel Soft, according to Books+Publishing. Richards receives a publishing contract including a NZ$10,000 advance, and the book is set for publication in mid-2027.
Judges described Soft, a debut novel set against Christchurch's rebuilding after the earthquakes, as combining "compelling characters and a beautifully judged plot with writing that is funny, poignant and full of heart." Organisers said it was chosen "from a very strong field" and is the fourth debut novel to win the prize, which launched in 2022 and is open to unpublished full-length fiction manuscripts of 70,000 to 100,000 words by New Zealand citizens and residents. Last year's winner was The Nowhere Boy by Anne Cleary.
Richards said she learned she had won while parked outside the Whitestone Cheese shop on Oamaru's main street, when a representative from Allen & Unwin introduced herself and shared the news. "It was 30 minutes before I could drive safely and 48 hours before I could sleep," Richards said. "Every writer dreams of a call like that."
A debut novelist, parked outside a cheese shop in Oamaru, just picked up a publishing contract and a NZ$10,000 advance for her first book. That's the dream scenario, and it's worth sitting with for a second: Soft is the fourth debut novel to take this prize since it launched in 2022, so the door is clearly open to unpublished writers, not just established names. If you've got a finished manuscript between 70,000 and 100,000 words and you're a NZ citizen or resident, this is a real, funded route to print — not a vanity contest.
From the Coral Wire edition of Tue, Oct 27 2026 · Coral Index 82/100 (Green light)