CHANEL is putting money, mentorship and publishing access behind a new generation of women novelists — and this one is not just for writers who already have a finished manuscript or an agent.

The Women’s Prize Trust has launched Originators, a new U.S. mentorship and development program presented by CHANEL for emerging, unpublished women fiction writers. Applications are open now through November 30, 2026 at 6:59 p.m. New York time.

What five writers actually receive

Five writers will be selected for bespoke mentorship with an established novelist, plus industry access, guest speakers and financial support for their work. Publishers Weekly reports that each selected writer will receive a $5,000 CHANEL grant, with one receiving an additional $5,000.

The inaugural panel is chaired by A.M. Homes and includes Virginia Evans, V.V. Ganeshananthan, Tayari Jones and Nicole Krauss. The selected writers will come together in New York in spring 2027, with a celebratory event planned for May.

You do not need a finished novel

This may be the most important detail. Applicants submit the first 5,000 words of an adult novel plus a 500-to-1,000-word synopsis. The manuscript does not have to be finished. There is no entry fee. The program is open to women age 21 and older living in the United States and writing in English, subject to the program’s full eligibility rules.

Why CHANEL and books make more sense than you think

At first glance, a luxury fashion house funding unpublished novelists might sound like an unexpected brand extension. It really isn’t. CHANEL has a long cultural program spanning literature, film, dance and the visual arts. Originators brings that patronage directly into the American literary pipeline.

And I love the specificity of it. This is not a vague campaign about “empowering women.” Five writers get mentors. They get funding. They get industry access. Their unfinished work is allowed to be unfinished.

The AURA take

There is something especially powerful about supporting women before the world has decided their work is valuable.

Publishing can make the finished book look inevitable. It rarely is. Before the hardcover, the reviews and the bookstore table, there is usually a woman alone with a document wondering whether the thing she is writing is any good at all.

Originators is investing at that stage — when mentorship, money and somebody credible saying “keep going” can actually change the trajectory of a creative life.

If you have a novel sitting in your laptop, this is your sign to read the eligibility rules. You do not need to have the entire thing figured out before you apply.

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Sources: Women’s Prize Trust Originators announcement and official FAQs; Publishers Weekly. Applicants should verify eligibility and submission requirements directly with the Women’s Prize Trust before entering.