The Folio Academy
The character and qualities of The Writers’ Prize are shaped by The Folio Academy, an international group of writers and critics who are immersed in the world of books. The Academy nominates titles to be considered for the Prize shortlist, and each year the judges are drawn from its number. In 2024, responsibility for both the shortlist nominations and the overall winners sits entirely with the Academy. Additionally, the mentors who lead each year’s Rathbones Folio Mentorships come from the Academy.
The Academy is a community where conversations about the value and direction of literature can take place. It is an evolving group which derives its strength from individual voices, yet it is stable in form. All Academy members demonstrate a commitment to writing and to reading that is ambitious in vision and scope.
Academy Members: ABC
Tim Adams
Tim Adams
Critic at the Observer
Author of Being John McEnroe (2004, Crown USA/Yellow Jersey UK).Â
Victoria Adukwei Bulley
Victoria Adukwei Bulley
Poet, writer, artist. Debut collection Quiet (2022, Faber & Faber) won the Poetry Category of the Rathbones Folio Prize 2023.
Naomi Alderman
Naomi Alderman
Author of novels The Power (2017, Penguin) as well as Disobedience, The Lessons and The Liar’s Gospel. The Future coming November 2023 (Penguin).
Lisa Allardice
Lisa Allardice
Chief books writer at The Guardian
Tahmima Anam
Tahmima Anam
Author of novels The Startup Wife (2021, Canongate), The Bones of Grace (2016), The Good Muslim (2011), A Golden Age (2007).
Romalyn Ante
Romalyn Ante
Raymond Antrobus
Raymond Antrobus
Lisa Appignanesi
Lisa Appignanesi
Chloe Aridjis
Chloe Aridjis
Claire Armitstead
Claire Armitstead
Will Ashon
Will Ashon
Nadeem Aslam
Nadeem Aslam
William Atkins
Will Atkins
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Tash Aw
Tash Aw
Trezza Azzopardi
Trezza Azzopardi
Murray Bail
Murray Bail
Catherine Bailey
Catherine Bailey
Virginia Baily
Virginia Baily
John Banville
John Banville
Pat Barker
Pat Barker
Raffaella Barker
Raffaella Barker
Susan Barker
Susan Barker
Damian Barr
Damian Barr
Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry
Sebastian Barry
Sebastian Barry
Elif Batuman
Elif Batuman
Sara Baume
Sara Baume
Francesca Beard
Francesca Beard
Richard Beard
Richard Beard
Fiona Benson
Fiona Benson
Emily Berry
Emily Berry
David Bezmozgis
David Bezmozgis
Rahul Bhattacharya
Rahul Bhattacharya
Carol Birch
Carol Birch
Caroline Bird
Caroline Bird
Robin Black
Robin Black
Amy Bloom
Amy Bloom
Tracy Bohan
Tracy Bohan
James Bradley
James Bradley
Natasha Brown
Natasha Brown
NoViolet Bulawayo
NoViolet Bulawayo
Anna Burns
Anna Burns
Will Burns
Will Burns
AS Byatt, d.16.11.23 RIP
AS Byatt, d.16.11.23 RIP
Peter Carey
Peter Carey
Eleanor Catton
Eleanor Catton
Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon
Mary Jean Chan
Mary Jean Chan
Tracy Chevalier
Anthony Capildeo
Sarah Churchwell
Sarah Churchwell
Kate Clanchy
Kate Clanchy
Alex Clark
Alex Clark
Joseph Coelho
Joseph Coelho
J.M. Coetzee
J.M. Coetzee
Teju Cole
Teju Cole
Robert Collins
Robert Collins
Jon Cook
Jon Cook
Rachel Cooke
Rachel Cooke
Jim Crace
Jim Crace
Stephanie Cross
Stephanie Cross
Laura Cumming
Laura Cumming
Michael Cunningham
Michael Cunningham
Rachel Cusk
Rachel Cusk
Academy Members: DEF
Willliam Dalrymple
Willliam Dalrymple
Edwige Danticat
Edwige Danticat
Carys Davies
Carys Davies
Deborah Kay Davies
Deborah Kay Davies
Jill Dawson
Jill Dawson
Juno Dawson
Juno Dawson
Elizabeth Day
Elizabeth Day
Michelle de Kretser
Michelle de Kretser
Sergio de la Pava
Sergio de la Pava
Jonathan Derbyshire
Jonathan Derbyshire
Kit de Waal
Kit de Waal
Junot Diaz
Junot Diaz
Edward Docx
Edward Docx
Emma Donoghue
Emma Donoghue
Maura Dooley
Maura Dooley
Louise Doughty
Louise Doughty
Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy
Sasha Dugdale
Sasha Dugdale
Sarah Dunant
Sarah Dunant
Joe Dunthorne
Joe Dunthorne
Geoff Dyer
Geoff Dyer
Bret Easton Ellis
Bret Easton Ellis
William Eaves
William Eaves
Esi Edugyan
Esi Edugyan
Nathan Englander
Nathan Englander
Diana Evans
Diana Evans
Bernardine Evaristo
Bernardine Evaristo
Stuart Evers
Stuart Evers
Paul Farley
Paul Farley
Roopa Farooki
Roopa Farooki
Sebastian Faulks
Sebastian Faulks
Suzy Feay
Suzy Feay
Elaine Feeney
Elaine Feeney
Caleb Femi
Caleb Femi
William Fiennes
William Fiennes
Amanda Foreman
Amanda Foreman
Aminatta Forna
Aminatta Forna
Adam Foulds
Adam Foulds
James Fox
James Fox
Richard Francis
Richard Francis
Caroline Fraser
Caroline Fraser
Maureen Freely
Maureen Freely
John Freeman
John Freeman
Nell Freudenberger
Nell Freudenberger
Anna Funder
Anna Funder
Academy Members: GHI
Amity Gaige
Amity Gaige
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Rivka Galchen
Rivka Galchen
Patrick Gale
Patrick Gale
Damon Galgut
Damon Galgut
Petina Gappah
Petina Gappah
Vanessa Gebbie
Vanessa Gebbie
Keith Gessen
Keith Gessen
Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh
Sinéad Gleeson
Sinéad Gleeson
Namita Gokhale
Namita Gokhale
Vesna Goldsowrthy
Vesna Goldsowrthy
Helen Gordon
Helen Gordon
Lavinia Greenlaw
Lavinia Greenlaw
Katy Guest
Katy Guest
Guy Gunaratne
Guy Gunaratne
Amali Gunasekera
Amali Gunasekera
Xiaolu Guo
Xiaolu Guo
Helon Habila
Helon Habila
Mark Haddon
Mark Haddon
Tessa Hadley
Tessa Hadley
Rawi Hage
Rawi Hage
Matt Haig
Matt Haig
Sarah Hall
Sarah Hall
Mohsin Hamid
Mohsin Hamid
Mohammed Hanif
Mohammed Hanif
Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah
Luke Harding
Luke Harding
Paul Harding
Paul Harding
Jane Harris
Jane Harris
Will Harris
Will Harris
Samantha Harvey
Samantha Harvey
Justin Haythe
Justin Haythe
Zoe Heller
Zoe Heller
Aleksandar Hemon
Aleksandar Hemon
Philip Hensher
Philip Hensher
Sheila Heti
Sheila Heti
Kathryn Heyman
Kathryn Heyman
Daisy Hildyard
Daisy Hildyard
Selima Hill
Selima Hill
Afua Hirsch
Afua Hirsch
Peter Hobbs
Peter Hobbs
Andrew Holgate
Andrew Holgate
Rachel Holmes
Rachel Holmes
A.M. Homes
A.M. Homes
Chloe Hooper
Chloe Hooper
Kathryn Hughes
Kathryn Hughes
Lucy Hughes-Hallett
Lucy Hughes-Hallett
MJ Hyland
MJ Hyland
Lars Iyer
Lars Iyer
Academy Members: JKL
Maya Jaggi
Maya Jaggi
Hope Jahren
Hope Jahren
Nadine Aisha Jassat
Nadine Aisha Jassat
Margo Jefferson
Margo Jefferson
Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson
Suzanne Joinson
Suzanne Joinson
Alice Jolly
Alice Jolly
Justine Jordan
Justine Jordan
Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay
Fergal Keane
Fergal Keane
Stuart Kelly
Stuart Kelly
Peter Kemp
Peter Kemp
A.L Kennedy
JA.L Kennedy
Christobel Kent
Christobel Kent
Hannah Kent
Hannah Kent
Mimi Khalvati
Mimi Khalvati
Matthew Kneale
Matthew Kneale
India Knight
India Knight
Nicole Krauss
Nicole Krauss
Hari Kunzru
Hari Kunzru
Rachel Kushner
Rachel Kushner
Theophilus Kwek
Theophilus Kwek
Nick Laird
Nick Laird
Nikita Lalwani
Nikita Lalwani
James Lasdun
James Lasdun
Tabitha Lasley
Tabitha Lasley
Mark Lawson
Mark Lawson
Nam Le
Nam Le
Chang Rae Lee
Chang Rae Lee
Sam Leith
Sam Leith
Ben Lerner
Ben Lerner
Penelope Lively
Penelope Lively
Attica Locke
Attica Locke
Rachel Long
Rachel Long
Valeria Luiselli
Valeria Luiselli
Carola Luther
Carola Luther
Academy Members: MNO
Robert Macfarlane
Robert Macfarlane
Carmen Maria Machado
Carmen Maria Machado
Ben MacIntyre
Ben MacIntyre
Deirdre Madden
Deirdre Madden
Rebecca Makkai
Rebecca Makkai
Kathryn Maris
Kathryn Maris
Andrew Marr
Andrew Marr
Philip Marsden
Philip Marsden
Hisham Matar
Hisham Matar
Glyn Maxwell
Glyn Maxwell
Eimear McBride
Eimear McBride
Robert McCrum
Robert McCrum
Val McDermid
Val McDermid
Ian McEwan
Ian McEwan
Jon McGregor
Jon McGregor
Belinda McKeon
Belinda McKeon
Jean McNeil
Jean McNeil
Tessa McWatt
Tessa McWatt
James Meek
James Meek
Momtaza Mehri
Momtaza Mehri
Daniel Mendelsohn
Daniel Mendelsohn
Charlotte Mendelson
Charlotte Mendelson
Stephanie Merrit
Stephanie Merrit
Claire Messud
Claire Messud
Philipp Meyer
Philipp Meyer
Andrew Miller
Andrew Miller
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Pankaj Mishra
Pankaj Mishra
David Mitchell
David Mitchell
China Miéville
China Miéville
Azadeh Moaveni
Azadeh Moaveni
C E Morgan
C E Morgan
Clare Morgan
Clare Morgan
Blake Morrison
Blake Morrison
Julie Myerson
Julie Myerson
Katrina Naomi
Katrina Naomi
Caleb Azumah Nelson
Caleb Azumah Nelson
Lawrence Norfolk
Lawrence Norfolk
Doireann NÃ GhrÃofa
Doireann NÃ GhrÃofa
Maggie O'Farrell
Maggie O'Farrell
Catherine O'Flynn
Catherine O'Flynn
Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan
Lisa O'Kelly
Lisa O'Kelly
Michael Ondaatje
Michael Ondaatje
Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange
Helen Oyeyemi
Helen Oyeyemi
Academy Members: PQR
Richard Lloyd Parry
Richard Lloyd Parry
Don Paterson
Don Paterson
Laline Paull
Laline Paull
Emily Perkins
Emily Perkins
Elliot Perlman
Elliot Perlman
Caryl Phillips
Caryl Phillips
Jayne Anne Phillips
Jayne Anne Phillips
Justine Picardie
Justine Picardie
Paul Pickering
Paul Pickering
Bella Pollen
Bella Pollen
Jacob Polley
Jacob Polley
Susannah Porter
Susannah Porter
Chris Power
Chris Power
Richard Powers
Richard Powers
John Preston
John Preston
Michael Prodger
Michael Prodger
Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman
Tony Quinn
Tony Quinn
Ross Raisin
Ross Raisin
Shobha Rani
Shobha Rani
Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin
Michele Roberts
Michele Roberts
Roger Robinson
Roger Robinson
Monique Roffey
Monique Roffey
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson
Katherine Rundell
Katherine Rundell
Salman Rushdie
Salman Rushdie
Donal Ryan
Donal Ryan
Academy Members: STU
Sunjeev Sahota
Sunjeev Sahota
Sathnam Sanghera
Sathnam Sanghera
Jacqueline Saphra
Jacqueline Saphra
Denise Saul
Denise Saul
George Saunders
George Saunders
James Scudamore
James Scudamore
Ruth Scurr
Ruth Scurr
Alice Sebold
Alice Sebold
Maria Semple
Maria Semple
Anita Sethi
Anita Sethi
David Sexton
David Sexton
Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak
Kamila Shamsie
Kamila Shamsie
Clare Shaw
Clare Shaw
Owen Sheers
Owen Sheers
Lionel Shriver
Lionel Shriver
Nikesh Shukla
Nikesh Shukla
Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld
Johanna Skibsrud
Johanna Skibsrud
Gillian Slovo
Gillian Slovo
Ali Smith
Ali Smith
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith
Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith
Yomi Sode
Yomi Sode
Ahdaf Soueif
Ahdaf Soueif
Martha Sprackland
Martha Sprackland
Francis Spufford
Francis Spufford
Guy Stagg
Guy Stagg
Peter Stanford
Peter Stanford
Lorin Stein
Lorin Stein
Francine Stock
Francine Stock
Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Kate Summerscale
Kate Summerscale
William Sutcliffe
William Sutcliffe
Henry Sutton
Henry Sutton
Miguel Syjuco
Miguel Syjuco
Michael Symmons Roberts
Michael Symmons Roberts
Christopher Tayler
Christopher Tayler
Catherine Taylor
Catherine Taylor
D.J. Taylor
D.J. Taylor
Joelle Taylor
Joelle Taylor
Sharlene Teo
Sharlene Teo
Adam Thirlwell
Adam Thirlwell
Rupert Thomson
Rupert Thomson
Matt Thorne
Matt Thorne
Adam Thorpe
Adam Thorpe
Carrie Tiffany
Carrie Tiffany
Colm Toibin
Colm Toibin
Boyd Tonkin
Boyd Tonkin
Deborah Treisman
Deborah Treisman
Joanna Trollope
Joanna Trollope
Scott Turow
Scott Turow
Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler
Academy Members: VWXYZ
David Vann
David Vann
Salley Vickers
Salley Vickers
Ivan Vladislavic
Ivan Vladislavic
Erica Wagner
Erica Wagner
Jess Walter
Jess Walter
James Walton
James Walton
Alan Warner
Alan Warner
Marina Warner
Marina Warner
Frances Wilson
Frances Wilson
Jeanette Winterson
Jeanette Winterson
Gaby Wood
Gaby Wood
Gerard Woodward
Gerard Woodward
Evie Wyld
Evie Wyld
