WOMEN IN FOOTBALL and Floodlit Dreams are to name the inaugural collaboration between the two organisations to publish a female football writer’s book the Vikki Orvice Prize.

As part of WIF’s innovative #WhatIf campaign, they and Floodlit Dreams joined forces at the end of last year to invite submissions from women writers for a competition that will guarantee the winner publication of their non-fiction football book.

Now WIF and Floodlit Dreams have agreed that the competition will be named after the WIF board member and pioneering Sun sports writer who died of cancer on February 6th aged 56.

“I am delighted that WIF so readily agreed to this,” said Ian Ridley, Vikki’s husband and the founder of Floodlit Dreams. “She loved books and was chair of the Football Writers’ Association books committee, so I feel sure she would have been honoured to have this initiative named after her.

“I saw the work Vikki was doing with WIF and wanted to help. Now this tribute to Vikki will make the initiative that bit more special.”

Jane Purdon, CEO of Women in Football, said: “Vikki was a huge part of the fabric of Women in Football right from the start. She was a driving force for a change in football culture and worked tirelessly to make a practical difference, supporting and encouraging the next generation of women journalists.

“To name our inaugural book competition with Floodlit Dream after Vikki is a mark of how highly she was held in our esteem and a fitting tribute to a very special woman.”

Entrants for the Vikki Orvice Prize are required in the first instance to submit a one-page synopsis of their book, along with a sample chapter. They can also submit a full manuscript if it is completed and they wish to do so.

The deadline for entries to be submitted is March 31st 2019.

The judging panel, comprising representatives of Women in Football and Floodlit Dreams, will then decide on a winning submission in May, to be announced at a WiF event.

After that, Floodlit Dreams will work with the winning writer to develop their book ready for publication, as an ebook and paperback, at a date to be agreed with the author.

Floodlit Dreams will bear all costs of producing the book and share profits on a 50-50 basis with the author, once those costs have been recouped through sales.

There is no age restriction and you do not have to be a professional writer to enter. Entries must be non-fiction.

Said Ian Ridley: “This offer is open to any woman who thinks they have a book in them. It could be a biography or autobiography, a memoir, anything. There seem to be plenty of books, for example, about fathers, sons and football but none about mothers, daughters and the game.

“We’re open to anything, mainstream or quirky, and from any age group or background. The only criteria really for the judging panel are that the work should be fresh, original and well-written.”

Entrants are requested to send their submissions to info@womeninfootball.co.uk