Summer Newsletter 2026
'Our summer newsletter is full of introductions - to the talented writers who have generously agreed to give up their time to judge the 2027 Deborah Rogers Award, and to the two young people who have won a place in this autumn's David Miller Internship Programme.'
Gill Coleridge, Founder of the DRF
The Deborah Rogers Award 2027
process. In this tradition, we are thrilled therefore to introduce Bernardine Evaristo as chair, with Naomi Ishiguro and Ben Markovits as the judges for the 2027 Deborah Rogers Award. We are extremely grateful to them for their support. The winning book
will be announced in September 2027.
‘I’m really looking to chairing the Deborah Rogers Award and discovering brilliant new talent who deserve to be financially supported. This prize makes an important contribution to the literature ecosystem where it can be incredibly difficult for new writers to break through, and its publication successes demonstrate that it has already become a powerful force for good. There are always undiscovered great writers out there and it will be an adventure finding them as we judge this prize.’
Bernardine Evaristo, chair of the judges 2027 Deborah Rogers Award
The Judges of the 2027 Deborah Rogers Award
Bernardine Evaristo is the author of ten books and numerous other works. She won the Booker Prize 2019 with her novel, Girl, Woman, Other and the Women's Prize Outstanding Achievement Award in 2025. Her award-winning novel, Mr Loverman (2013), was adapted into a BAFTA-winning BBC miniseries in 2024. She is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University of London, Visiting Professor of Creative Media at the University of Oxford and President Emerita of the Royal Society of Literature.
Naomi Ishiguro is the author of The Rainshadow Orphans, the first in an anime-inspired SFF trilogy, published in May 2026. Her previously published books are Common Ground (2021) and the story collection Escape Routes (2020). She’s a graduate of the University of East Anglia’s MFA Creative Writing programme, and has worked as both a secondary school English teacher and a freelance creative writing teacher. She also spent two lovely years in her early twenties as a bookseller and bibliotherapist at Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath.
Ben Markovits grew up in Texas, London, Oxford and Berlin. In 2008, he was a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard and won a Pushcart Prize for a story published in the Paris Review. In 2013, Granta selected him as one of their Best British Novelists Under 40. His novel You Don't Have to Live Like This won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2016. The Rest of Our Lives, his most recent novel, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2025. He lives in London and is a professor of Creative Writing at Royal Holloway.
The timings for the Deborah Rogers Award have changed to reflect the academic year, to encourage more students to submit and allowing greater time for the judging process. The submission window will run this autumn, from September to November. Details of how to enter can be found on the website.
The David Miller Internship Programme 2026
In a departure from previous years, we were joined by New Writing North to recruit this year's interns from the North, reflecting the fact that geographical distance from London remains a barrier for many young people hoping to enter the profession. Applicants were sifted by New Writing North to produce a longlist for consideration by a panel of our trustees. A shortlist of five was interviewed at RCW Literary Agency in July. We could not have been more impressed by the candidates that came forward. Thanks to Prema Raj for chairing the selection panel which consisted of previous winners and trustees. In a very strong field, two candidates stood out and we are delighted to introduce them here as the DMIP 2026 winners. Their placements begin in September and will be busier than ever, as we work with a record number of host companies. We are extremely grateful to David Higham, Eccles Fisher, Faber, Greyhound Literary, ILA, Lutyens & Rubinstein, Penguin Random House, PEW Literary, Profile Books and RCW who will host the interns at the busiest time of the year for Rights professionals. The DMIP would be nothing without you all.
Introducing our interns
Phoebe is currently reading Land by Maggie O’Farrell.
‘I am based in Manchester and aspire to champion northern voices in the publishing industry. With an MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature, I have a particular interest in adult literary fiction as well as
illustrated children’s books and queer YA. My Spanish language skills have sparked an interest in international markets, works in translation, and foreign rights. In my spare time, I can usually be found hiking, browsing antique shops or, of course, reading.’
Phoebe Turner, DMIP 2026
Margo is currently reading Sour Fruit by Ahana Virdi.
'My name is Margo, and I’m a native Russian speaker, and English Language and Literature graduate from Newcastle University, currently
studying a Publishing MA at Northumbria University. Championing better representation within books and making publishing more accessible is very important to me, so I’m beyond thrilled to have been selected for this year’s DRF David Miller internship. I look forward to bringing my northern and multicultural perspective to the rights and agenting side of the industry!'
Margo Ivanova, DMIP 2026
Looking ahead
The David Miller Internship Programme will run from 7 September to 15 October – a busy
six weeks of placements at literary agencies and publishers, as well as an invaluable visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2026.
The Deborah Rogers Award 2027 will be open for submissions from 29 September to 24 November 2026. Judging will begin in the New Year, with the longlist being announced in August 2027 and the shortlist in September 2027. The winner will be announced at a
ceremony in September next year.