African Poetry Book Fund
Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry
Tawanda Mulalu of Gaborone, Botswana, won the 2023 Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry for Please Make Me Pretty, I Don’t Want to Die (Princeton University Press). He received $1,000. John Keene judged. The annual award is given for a book of poetry by an African poet published in the previous year. (See Deadlines.)
African Poetry Book Fund, Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, University of Nebraska, 110 Andrews Hall, P.O. Box 880334, Lincoln, NE 68588. (402) 472-0911. Siwar Masannat, Managing Editor. africanpoetrybf@unl.edu africanpoetrybf.unl.edu
Alice James Books
Alice James Award
R. A. Villanueva of New York City won the 2024 Alice James Award for A Holy Dread. He received $2,000, and his book will be published by Alice James Books in February 2026. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
Alice James Books, Alice James Award, Auburn Hall, 60 Pineland Drive, Suite 206, New Gloucester, ME 04260. (207) 926-8283. info@alicejamesbooks.org alicejamesbooks.org/submit
American Academy in Rome
Rome Prize
Fiction and nonfiction writer Selby Wynn Schwartz of San Francisco won the 2024–2025 Joseph Brodsky Rome Prize for her hybrid-genre novel-in-progress, “The Small Sea.” She received $30,000 and a 10-month residency at the American Academy in Rome. Poet Jacob Shores-Argüello of Waco, Texas, won the John Guare Writers Fund Rome Prize for his poetry manuscript-in-progress, “River Citizen.” He received $16,000 and a five-month residency at the American Academy in Rome. The annual awards are given for writing projects that involve “independent work and research in the arts and humanities.” (See Deadlines.)
American Academy in Rome, Rome Prize, 535 West 22nd Street, Third Floor, New York, NY 10011. (212) 751-7200. Shawn Miller, Program Director. s.miller@aarome.org aarome.org/apply/rome-prize
A Public Space
Writing Fellowships
Poet Oak Morse of Houston, fiction writer Nina Maniçoba Ferraz of New York City, and nonfiction writer Bre’Anna Bivens of Houston received the 2024 A Public Space Writing Fellowships. They each received $1,000, a four-month mentorship with the editors to prepare a piece for publication in A Public Space, and the opportunity to meet with publishing professionals and participate in a public reading. The annual fellowships are given to emerging poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who have not published a full-length book. The next deadline is March 31, 2025.
A Public Space, Writing Fellowships, P.O. Box B, New York, NY 10159. (718) 858-8067. general@apublicspace.org apublicspace.org
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
Aaliyah Bilal of Cincinnati won the 2023 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence for her short story collection, Temple Folk (Simon & Schuster). She will receive $15,000 and be honored at an awards ceremony in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in October. Anthony Grooms, Edward P. Jones, Elizabeth Nunez, Francine Prose, and Patricia Towers judged. The annual award is given to an emerging African American writer for a book of fiction published in the award year. The next deadline is December 31.
Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, 100 North Street, Suite 900, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. (225) 387-6126. Travis Hutchins, Director of Donor Services. gainesaward@braf.org ernestjgainesaward.org
Biographers International Organization
Plutarch Award
Yepoka Yeebo of Accra and London won the 2024 Plutarch Award for Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World (Bloomsbury, 2023). She received $2,000. Patricia Albers, Vanda Krefft, Carol Sklenicka, William Souder, and Ethelene Whitmire judged. The annual award is given for a biography. The next deadline is December 1.
Biographers International Organization, Plutarch Award, P.O. Box 33020, Santa Fe, NM 87594. Michael Gately, Executive Director. execdirector@biographersinternational.org biographersinternational.org
Blue Mountain Center
Richard J. Margolis Award
Jordan Michael Smith of Toronto won the 2023 Richard J. Margolis Award. He received $5,000 and a monthlong residency at the Blue Mountain Center, a writers and artists retreat in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. The annual award is given to an essayist or journalist whose work “combines warmth, humor, and wisdom, and sheds light on issues of social justice.” The next deadline is July 1, 2025.
Blue Mountain Center, Richard J. Margolis Award, c/o Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino, 20 William Street, Suite 320, Wellesley, MA 02481. award@margolis.com margolisaward.org
BOA Editions
A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize
Chaun Ballard of Lincoln, Nebraska, won the 2023 A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize for Second Nature. He received $1,000, and his book will be published by BOA Editions in April 2025. Matthew Shenoda judged. The annual award is given for a debut book of poetry. The next deadline is November 30.
BOA Editions, A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize, 250 North Goodman Street, Suite 306, Rochester, NY 14607. (585) 546-3410. Justine Alfano, Director of Production and Marketing. contact@boaeditions.org boaeditions.org
Boulevard
Emerging Poets Contest
Lucinda Trew of Weddington, North Carolina, won the 2023 Emerging Poets Contest for a group of poems. She received $1,000 and publication in Boulevard. Aaron Coleman judged. The annual award is given for a group of poems by a poet who has not published a poetry collection with a nationally distributed press. The next deadline is June 1, 2025.
Boulevard, Emerging Poets Contest, 3829 Hartford Street, St. Louis, MO 63116. Dusty Freund, Editor. editors@boulevardmagazine.org boulevardmagazine.org
Cave Canem Foundation
Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize
Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi of the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria won the 2023 Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize for Cadaver of Red Roses. She received $1,000; publication by O, Miami Books; and 10 author copies. She also read as part of the O, Miami Poetry Festival’s online programming. Tara Betts judged. The annual award is given for a poetry chapbook by a Black poet. (See Deadlines.)
Cave Canem Foundation, Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize, 20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A, Brooklyn, NY 11201. (718) 858-0000. programs@ccpoets.org cavecanempoets.org/prizes
Center for African American Poetry and Poetics/Autumn House Press
Book Prize
Jasmine Reid of New York City won the 2024 Center for African American Poetry and Poetics Book Prize for her poetry collection, Interlocutor Goddess. She received $3,000, and her book will be published by Autumn House Press in 2025. Aracelis Girmay judged. The annual award is given for a first or second poetry collection or work that intersects with poetry, including hybrid work, speculative prose, and translation, by a writer of African descent. The next deadline is February 15, 2025.
Center for African American Poetry and Poetics/Autumn House Press, Book Prize, University of Pittsburgh, English Department, 526 Cathedral of Learning, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Steffan Triplett, Managing Director. caapp@pitt.edu caapp.pitt.edu
Center for Book Arts
Poetry Chapbook Competition
nar juicebox castle of Cambridge, Massachusetts, won the 29th annual Poetry Chapbook Competition for Side Conversations. He will receive $1,000 (a $500 honorarium upon winning and a $500 stipend upon participating in the competition reading in November), publication of his chapbook by Center for Book Arts, and a weeklong residency at Millay Arts in Austerlitz, New York. Rasha Abdulhadi judged. The annual award is given for a poetry chapbook. The next deadline is December 15.
Center for Book Arts, Poetry Chapbook Competition, 28 West 27th Street, Third Floor, New York, NY 10001. Camilo Otero, Artists Programs Manager. camilo@centerforbookarts.org centerforbookarts.org/annual-chapbook-competition
Center for Literary Publishing
Colorado Prize for Poetry
Nicholas Gulig of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, won the 30th annual Colorado Prize for Poetry for The Other Altar. He will receive $2,500, and his book will be published by the Center for Literary Publishing at Colorado State University in November. Brenda Shaughnessy judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is January 14, 2025.
Center for Literary Publishing, Colorado Prize for Poetry, Colorado State University, 9105 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523. (970) 491-5449. Stephanie G’Schwind, Director. creview@colostate.edu coloradoprize.colostate.edu
Cloudbank Books
Vern Rutsala Book Prize
Jeffrey Bean of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, won the 2024 Vern Rutsala Book Prize for his poetry collection Everywhere, Everywhere. He received $1,000, and his book will be published by Cloudbank Books. Bean will also receive 50 author copies. Robert Morgan judged. The annual award is given for a collection of poetry, flash fiction, or a combination of the two. (See Deadlines.)
Cloudbank Books, Vern Rutsala Book Prize, P.O. Box 610, Corvallis, OR 97339. Michael Malan, Editor. michael@cloudbankbooks.com cloudbankbooks.com
Codhill Press
Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award
Nathan M. Manley of Loveland, Colorado, won the 2023 Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award for Native. He received $1,000, publication of his book by Codhill Press, and 25 author copies. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is December 30.
Codhill Press, Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award, 331 Station Road, Highland, NY 12528. James Sherwood, Contest Coordinator. james@codhill.com codhill.com
Connecticut Poetry Society
Vivian Shipley Poetry Award
Maia Elsner of Ann Arbor, Michigan, won the 2023 Vivian Shipley Poetry Award for “Exhibition Opening.” She received $1,000 and publication in Connecticut River Review and on the Connecticut Poetry Society website. Antoinette Brim-Bell judged. The annual award is given for a single poem. (See Deadlines.)
Connecticut Poetry Society, Vivian Shipley Poetry Award, P.O. Box 516, Cheshire, CT 06410. (203) 927-9472. Patricia Fusco, Treasurer. pwfusco@gmail.com ctpoetry.net
Creative Writing Ink
Short Story Competition
Eamonn McKeon of Coventry, England, won the 2023 Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition for “Let’s Say You Dance.” He received £1,000 (approximately $1,301), a free online writing course with Creative Writing Ink, and publication on the Creative Writing Ink website. Lucie Brownlee judged. The annual award is given for a short story. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Creative Writing Ink, Short Story Competition, 124 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, England. Olive O’Brien, Coordinator. info@creativewritingink.co.uk creativewritingink.co.uk
Ellen Meloy Fund
Desert Writers Award
Debbie Weingarten of Brevard, North Carolina, won the 2024 Ellen Meloy Fund Desert Writers Award. She received $5,000 to work on her memoir-in-progress, “Quitting Season.” Established to honor the memory of Ellen Meloy, the annual award provides support for creative nonfiction writers “whose work reflects the spirit and passion for the desert embodied in Meloy’s writing” to spend time in a desert environment. The next deadline is January 15, 2025.
Ellen Meloy Fund, Desert Writers Award, P.O. Box 288, Helena, MT 59624. info@ellenmeloy.com ellenmeloy.com
Fiction Collective Two
Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize
John Haskell of New York City won the 2024 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize for his story collection Trying to Be. He received $15,000, and his book will be published by Fiction Collective Two in fall 2025. Amina Cain judged. The annual award is given for a story collection, novella, novella collection, or novel by a writer who has published at least three books of fiction. (See Deadlines.)
Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest
J Efron of Kyoto won the 2024 Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest for their story collection Iqa. They received $1,500, and their book will be published by Fiction Collective Two in fall 2025. Ray Levy judged. The annual award is given for a story collection, novella, novella collection, or novel. (See Deadlines.)
Fiction Collective Two, University of Alabama Press, P.O. Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. (205) 348-5180. fc2@fc2.org fc2.org/prizes
Fish Publishing
Flash Fiction Prize
Kate O’Grady of Gloucestershire, England, won the 2024 Flash Fiction Prize for “Messiah.” She received €1,000 (approximately $1,094) and publication in the 2024 Fish Anthology. Michelle Elvy judged. The annual award is given for a work of flash fiction. The next deadline is February 28, 2025.
Short Memoir Prize
Rand Richards Cooper of Hartford won the 2024 Short Memoir Prize for “Chess With the Wehrmacht.” He received €1,000 (approximately $1,094) and publication in the 2024 Fish Anthology. Sean Lusk judged. The annual award is given for an essay. The next deadline is January 31, 2025.
Fish Publishing, Coomkeen, Durrus, Bantry, County Cork, Ireland P75 H704. Clem Cairns, Editor. info@fishpublishing.com fishpublishing.com
Fordham University at Lincoln Center
Poetic Justice Institute Prizes
Marcella Durand of New York City won the 2023–2024 Poetic Justice Institute Prize for A Winter Triangle. Adedayo Agarau of Stanford, California, won the Poetic Justice Institute Editor’s Prize for The Years of Blood. They each received $1,000, publication by Fordham University Press in fall 2025, a publicity consultation, and a virtual book launch through the Poetic Justice Event Series. Srikanth Reddy judged the Poetic Justice Institute Prize, and Elisabeth Frost and JoAnne McFarland judged the Poetic Justice Institute Editor’s Prize. The annual awards are given for poetry collections. (See Deadlines.)
Fordham University at Lincoln Center, Poetic Justice Institute Prizes, 113 West 60th Street, Room 924i, New York, NY 10023. (212) 636-7870. Elisabeth Frost, Series Editor. efrost@fordham.edu poetic-justice.org
Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Grants to Artists
Four poets were awarded 2024 Grants to Artists. aj carruthers of New South Wales, Australia, received the Cy Twombly Award for Poetry; Hoa Nguyen of Toronto received the C.D. Wright Award for Poetry; and Saretta Morgan of Atlanta and Lillian-Yvonne Bertram won general Grants to Artists awards. Each grantee received $45,000. A panel of artists, arts professionals, and the foundation’s board of directors participated in the grant selection process. The grants and awards are given annually to poets and artists “who continually redefine experimentality and who challenge us to think deeply about the world.” There is no application process.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts, 820 Greenwich Street, #4, New York, NY 10014. info@contemporary-arts.org foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/grants-to-artists
Furious Flower
Poetry Prize
Michelle Alexander of Chicago won the 2024 Furious Flower Poetry Prize for “America Taps Paul Robeson on the Telephone With the Welsh Miners,” “Cheryl Boyce-Taylor,” and “Ode to the Rap Game.” She received $1,500 and publication in Obsidian. She will also give a reading as part of the decennial Furious Flower Poetry Conference at James Madison University in September. Roger Reeves judged. The annual award is given for a group of poems exploring Black themes. The next deadline is February 15, 2025.
Furious Flower, Poetry Prize, James Madison University, 500 Cardinal Drive, MSC 3802, Harrisonburg, VA 22807. furiousflower@jmu.edu jmu.edu/furiousflower/poetryprize
Futurepoem
Other Futures Award
Isabel Sobral Campos of Cambridge, Massachusetts, won the 2023 Other Futures Award for The Optogram of the Mind Is a Carnation. She received $1,000, publication by Futurepoem, and 25 author copies. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a book of poetry “that imagines new lived or literary possibilities and questions established paradigms.” As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Futurepoem, Other Futures Award, 311 West 24th Street, 5A, New York, NY 10011. (646) 247-9860. Ahana Ganguly, Assistant Editor and Submissions Manager. ahana@futurepoem.com futurepoem.com
Gemini Magazine
Poetry Open
LP of New York City won the 2024 Poetry Open for “Bracken.” She received $1,000, and her poem was published in the May 2024 issue of Gemini Magazine. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poem. The next deadline is January 2, 2025.
Gemini Magazine, Poetry Open, P.O. Box 1485, Onset, MA 02558. David A. Bright, Editor. editor@gemini-magazine.com gemini-magazine.com
Ghost Story
Supernatural Fiction Award
Timothy Ziegenhagen of Ashland, Wisconsin, won the Spring 2024 Supernatural Fiction Award for “Explorer.” He received $1,500, and his story was published on the Ghost Story website. The editors judged. The award is given biannually for a short story with a supernatural or magical realist theme. (See Deadlines.)
Ghost Story, Supernatural Fiction Award, P.O. Box 601, Union, ME 04862. Paul Guernsey, Editor. editor@theghoststory.com theghoststory.com/tgs-fiction-award
Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Griffin Poetry Prize
Homero Aridjis of Mexico City and George McWhirter of Vancouver won the 2024 Griffin Poetry Prize for McWhirter’s translation from the Spanish of Aridjis’s Self-Portrait in the Zone of Silence (New Directions). Aridjis received $52,000 Canadian (approximately $38,001), and McWhirter received $78,000 Canadian (approximately $57,003). The finalists were Amelia M. Glaser of San Diego, California, Yuliya Ilchuk of Stanford, California, and Halyna Kruk of Lviv, Ukraine, for Glaser and Ilchuk’s translation from the Ukranian of Kruk’s A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press); Jorie Graham of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for To 2040 (Copper Canyon Press); Ishion Hutchinson of Ithaca, New York, for School of Instructions (Faber & Faber; Farrar, Straus and Giroux); and Ann Lauterbach of Germantown, New York, for Door (Penguin Books). They each received $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,308). The award is given annually for a poetry collection written in or translated into English by a living poet or translator from anywhere in the world and published during the previous year. The next deadline, for books published during the second half of 2024, is December 20.
Canadian First Book Prize
Maggie Burton of St. John’s, Newfoundland, won the 2024 Canadian First Book Prize for Chores (Breakwater Books). She received $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,282) and a six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Umbria, Italy. The award is given annually for a debut poetry collection by a living Canadian poet or permanent resident published during the previous year. The next deadline, for books published during the second half of 2024, is December 20.
Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, 363 Parkridge Crescent, Oakville, ON L6M 1A8, Canada. (905) 618-0420. Ruth Smith, Executive Director. info@griffinpoetryprize.com griffinpoetryprize.com
Hackney Literary Awards
Novel Contest
Susan C. Fox of New York City won the 2023 Novel Contest for her manuscript “Call Them by Their Names.” She received $5,000. The annual award is given for an unpublished novel. (See Deadlines.)
Hackney Literary Awards, Novel Contest, 4650 Old Looney Mill Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. hackneyliteraryawards@gmail.com hackneyliteraryawards.org
Harvard University
Radcliffe Institute Fellowships
Poet Gabeba Baderoon of State College, Pennsylvania; fiction writers Aruni Kashyap of Athens, Georgia, Akil Kumarasamy of New York City, Claire Luchette of Binghamton, New York, and Yxta Maya Murray of Los Angeles; and nonfiction writer Avi Steinberg of Chicago received 2024–2025 fellowships from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. They each received $78,000 and an additional $5,000 to cover project expenses. The annual fellowships are given to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers with substantial publication histories or current contracts for the publication of a book. The next deadline is September 12, 2025.
Harvard University, Radcliffe Institute Fellowships, Byerly Hall, 8 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. (617) 496-1324. harvardradcliffefellowship@radcliffe.har...
radcliffe.harvard.edu/radcliffe-fellowship
John Pollard Foundation
International Poetry Prize
Patrick James Errington of Edinburgh won the 2024 John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize for the swailing (McGill-Queen’s University Press). He received €10,000 (approximately $10,939). Vona Groarke, Alice Lyons, Eoin McNamee, and Tom Walker judged. The annual award is given for a debut poetry collection published during the previous year. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
John Pollard Foundation, International Poetry Prize, Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre, 21 Westland Row, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland. Sophia Ní Sheoin, Centre Senior Executive Officer. wilde@tcd.ie tcd.ie/owc/john-pollard-prize
Ledbury Poetry
Poetry Competition
Anna Woodford of Newcastle, England, won the 2023 Poetry Competition for “Delirium (Great Balls of Fire).” She received £1,000 (approximately $1,301), a course at the London-based creative writing nonprofit Arvon, publication of her poem on the Ledbury Poetry Festival website, and an invitation to read at the festival in 2024. Philip Gross judged. The annual award is given for a single poem. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Ledbury Poetry, Poetry Competition, Barrett Browning Institute, Homend, Ledbury, HR8 2AA, England. Sabeen Chaudhry, Producer. sabeen.chaudhry@ledburypoetry.org.uk poetry-festival.co.uk/ledbury-poetry-competition
Lightscatter Press
Poetry Prize
Derek JG Williams of Heidelberg, Germany, won the 2023 Lightscatter Press Poetry Prize for Reading Water. He will receive $1,000, publication by Lightscatter Press in spring 2025, and a carefully designed digital edition of his book, which will include images, sound, and touchable features. He will also receive 25 author copies. Eduardo C. Corral judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection written by an emerging writer. (See Deadlines.)
Lightscatter Press, Poetry Prize, 3303 West 7675 South, West Jordan, UT 84084. (801) 635-9825. Lisa Bickmore, Publisher. lightscatterpress@gmail.com lightscatterpress.org/submit
LitMag
Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction
Sofi Stambo of New York City won the 2024 Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction for “Long Story Short.” She received $2,500. Her story will be published in LitMag and reviewed by agents Lisa Bankoff (Bankoff Collaborative), Jenny Bent (Bent Agency), Sonali Chanchani and Erin Harris (Folio Literary Management), Emily Forland (Brandt & Hochman), David Forrer (InkWell Management), Sarah Fuentes (United Talent Agency), Mollie Glick (Creative Artists Agency), Nat Sobel (Sobel Weber Associates), and Monika Woods (Triangle House). The annual award is given for a short story. The next deadline is December 31.
Anton Chekhov Award for Flash Fiction
Caitlin Scarano of Bellingham, Washington, won the 2024 Anton Chekhov Award for Flash Fiction for “Rainwashed Blue.” She received $1,250. Her story will be published in LitMag and reviewed by agents Jenny Bent (Bent Agency), Sonali Chanchani and Erin Harris (Folio Literary Management), Emily Forland (Brandt & Hochman), David Forrer (InkWell Management), Sarah Fuentes (United Talent Agency), Mollie Glick (Creative Artists Agency), Nat Sobel (Sobel Weber Associates), and Monika Woods (Triangle House). The annual award is given for a work of flash fiction. The next deadline is November 30.
LitMag, Greeley Square Station, P.O. Box 20091, New York, NY 10001. info@litmag.com litmag.com
Loft Literary Center
McKnight Fellowships for Writers
Poets Stephani Maari Booker, Sonia Greenfield, and Ed Bok Lee, all of Minneapolis, and Aurora Masum-Javed of St. Paul received the 2024 McKnight Fellowships for Writers. They each received $25,000. Mahogany L. Browne judged. The annual fellowships, offered for prose and poetry/spoken word in alternating years, are given to Minnesota writers who have published at least one book, have had work appear in several journals, or have been booked to perform their work. The next deadline is November 19.
Loft Literary Center, McKnight Fellowships for Writers, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Open Book Building, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55415. (612) 215-2578. Marion Gómez, Awards Program Manager. mgomez@loft.org loft.org/awards/mcknight
Los Angeles Times
Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose
Claire Dederer of Seattle won the 2023 Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose for Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma (Knopf). She received $10,000. Emily Rapp Black, Adriana Ramirez, Goldie Taylor, and Rick Whitaker judged. The annual award is given for a book of autobiographical prose published in the previous year. There is no application process.
Robert Kirsch Award
Jane Smiley of Carmel Valley, California, won the 2023 Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. Smiley, whose most recent novel is Lucky (Knopf, 2024), received $1,000. The annual award is given to recognize an author “with a substantial connection to the American West whose contribution to American letters deserves special recognition.” There is no application process.
Book Prizes
Airea D. Matthews of Troina, Italy, won the 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in poetry for her collection Bread and Circus (Scribner). Ed Park of New York City won the prize in fiction for his novel Same Bed Different Dreams (Random House). Shannon Sanders of Silver Spring, Maryland, won the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction for her story collection, Company (Graywolf Press). Tananarive Due of Upland, California, won the Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction for her novel The Reformatory (Saga Press). Roxanna Asgarian of Dallas won the prize in current interest for her nonfiction book We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). Matthews, Park, Sanders, Due, and Asgarian each received $500. CM Burroughs, John W. Evans, and Courtney Faye Taylor judged in poetry; Dinika Amaral, Katya Apkina, and Antoine Wilson judged in fiction and for the Art Seidenbaum Award; Maurice Broaddus, Craig Laurance Gidney, and Lucy A. Snyder judged the Ray Bradbury Prize; and Andrew Aydin, Celeste Fremon, and Traci Thomas judged in current interest. The annual awards are given for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the prize year. There is no application process.
Los Angeles Times, 2300 East Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA 90245. Ann Binney, Associate Director of Events. ann.binney@latimes.com events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/bookprizes
Meadowlark Press
Birdy Poetry Prize
Alicia Rebecca Myers of Ithaca, New York, won the 2024 Birdy Poetry Prize for Warble. She received $1,000, publication by Meadowlark Press, and 50 author copies. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is December 1.
Meadowlark Press, Birdy Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 333, Emporia, KS 66801. (620) 794-9320. info@meadowlark-books.com meadowlarkbookstore.com/birdy-poetry-prize
Michigan Quarterly Review
Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction
Vince Omni of Tallahassee, Florida, won the third annual Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction for “The Diaspora Café.” He received $2,000 and publication in the Summer 2024 issue of Michigan Quarterly Review. David Lynn judged. The annual award is given for a short story. The next deadline is December 31.
Laurence Goldstein Poetry Prize
Fernando Trujillo of El Paso, Texas, won the 22nd annual Laurence Goldstein Poetry Prize for “13 Ways of Nepantla.” They received $1,000 and publication in the Summer 2024 issue of Michigan Quarterly Review. Lawrence Joseph judged. The annual award is given for a single poem. The next deadline is December 31.
Michigan Quarterly Review, University of Michigan, 3277 Angell Hall, 435 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. (734) 764-9265. Aaron J. Stone, Managing Editor. mqr@umich.edu michiganquarterlyreview.com
Mississippi Review
Mississippi Review Prizes
Stacey C. Johnson of San Diego County, California, won the 2024 Mississippi Review Prize in poetry for “Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Sea.” Adam Warren of Burlington, North Carolina, won in fiction for “Literal Spit.” Jessie Kraemer of Iowa City won in nonfiction for “Object Permanence.” They each received $1,000 and publication in Mississippi Review. Adam Clay judged. The annual awards are given for a single poem, a story, and an essay. The next deadline is January 1, 2025.
Mississippi Review, Mississippi Review Prizes, 118 College Drive, #5144, Hattiesburg, MS 39406. (601) 266-4321. Adam Clay, Editor in Chief. msreview@usm.edu mississippireview.com
The Moth
Poetry Prize
Lance Larsen of Provo, Utah, won the 2023 Moth Poetry Prize for “Things I’m Against.” He received €6,000 (approximately $6,564) and online publication in Irish Times. The three runners-up were Catherine Ann Cullen of Dublin for “Pencilling the Dates,” Jade Angeles Fitton of Devon, England, for “And Other Mirages,” and Craig van Rooyen of San Luis Obispo, California, for “Extinction Picnic.” They each received €1,000 (approximately $1,094). Hannah Sullivan judged. The annual award is given for a single poem. The next deadline is December 31.
The Moth, Poetry Prize, Ardan Grange, Milltown, Belturbet, County Cavan, Ireland H14 K768. Rebecca O’Connor, Editor. enquiries@themothmagazine.com themothmagazine.com
National Book Foundation
5 Under 35
Five fiction writers were selected as the National Book Foundation’s 2024 5 Under 35 honorees. They are Antonia Angress of Minneapolis for her novel, Sirens and Muses (Ballantine Books, 2022), selected by Charles Baxter; Maya Binyam of Los Angeles for her novel, Hangman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023), selected by Alejandro Varela; Zain Khalid of New York City for his novel, Brother Alive (Grove Press, 2023), selected by Laila Lalami; Tyriek White of Oxford, Mississippi, for his novel, We Are a Haunting (Astra House, 2023), selected by Tiphanie Yanique; and Jenny Tinghui Zhang of Austin for her novel, Four Treasures of the Sky (Flatiron Books, 2022), selected by Adam Johnson. They each received $1,000 and were celebrated at a ceremony in New York City in May. The annual awards are given to writers under the age of 35 who have published their first book of fiction in the previous five years. There is no application process.
National Book Foundation, 90 Broad Street, Suite 604, New York, NY 10004. (212) 685-0261. nationalbook@nationalbook.org nationalbook.org
New Literary Project
Joyce Carol Oates Prize
Ben Fountain of Dallas won the 2024 Joyce Carol Oates Prize. Fountain, whose most recent book is Devil Makes Three (Flatiron Books, 2023), received $50,000. The annual award is given to “a midcareer fiction writer who has earned a distinguished reputation.” As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
New Literary Project, Joyce Carol Oates Prize, 4100 Redwood Road, Suite 20A/424, Oakland, CA 94619. Diane Del Signore, Executive Director. diane@newliteraryproject.org newliteraryproject.org/joyce-carol-oates-prize
New Millennium Writings
New Millennium Writing Awards
David Sloan of Brunswick, Maine, won the 56th New Millennium Poetry Award for “Lines in Algonquin.” Rebecca T. Godwin of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, won the Fiction Award for “Saved.” Gretta Trafficante of Detroit won the Flash Fiction Award for “The Curse of Calloused Feet.” Adriana Páramo of Doha, Qatar, won the Nonfiction Award for “Teaching Mom Long Division.” They each received $1,000, and their winning works will be published in New Millennium Writings and on the journal’s website. The awards are given biannually for a poem, a short story, a work of flash fiction, and an essay. The next deadline is November 30.
New Millennium Writings, New Millennium Writing Awards, 3410 Compton Street, Knoxville, TN 37920. Alexis Williams, Editor in Chief. alexis@newmillenniumwritings.com newmillenniumwritings.org
New York Public Library
Cullman Center Fellowships
Fiction writers Isabella Hammad of London and New York, Tracey Rose Peyton of Los Angeles, and Patricio Pron of Madrid; nonfiction writers Heather Clark, Leslie Jamison, and Abigail Santamaria, all of New York City, Iman Mersal of Edmonton, Canada, and Emma Tarlo of London; and graphic novelist Eric Orner of Tarrytown, New York, were among those who received 2024–2025 Cullman Center Fellowships. They will each receive up to $85,000, an office in the Cullman Center at the New York Public Library, and full access to the library’s physical and electronic resources from September 2024 to May 2025. The annual fellowships are given to poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, translators, and scholars whose work will benefit directly from access to the research collections at the New York Public Library. (See Deadlines.)
New York Public Library, Cullman Center Fellowships, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018. cullmancenter@nypl.org nypl.org/csw
Ohio University Press
Hollis Summers Poetry Prize
Han VanderHart of Durham, North Carolina, won the 2024 Hollis Summers Poetry Prize for Larks. They received $1,000, and their book will be published by Ohio University Press in spring 2025. Chanda Feldman judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is December 31.
Ohio University Press, Hollis Summers Poetry Prize, 30 Park Place, Alden Library, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701. oupress@ohio.edu ohioswallow.com/poetry_prize
Omnidawn Publishing
Poetry Open Book Prize
John Cross of Pasadena, California, won the 2023 Omnidawn Poetry Open Book Prize for What Bleak Angels Carried Your Bed. He will receive $3,000, publication of his book by Omnidawn Publishing in 2026, and 20 author copies. Maw Shein Win judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Omnidawn Publishing, Poetry Open Book Prize, 1632 Elm Avenue, Richmond, CA 94805. (510) 439-6285. Laura Joakimson and Rusty Morrison, Senior Editors and Copublishers. rusty@omnidawn.com
omnidawn.com/contests/omnidawn-poetry-contests
Passaic County Community College
Paterson Poetry Prize
Mahogany L. Browne of New York City and Afaa M. Weaver of Pleasant Valley, New York, won the 2024 Paterson Poetry Prize. Browne won for Chrome Valley (Liveright), and Weaver won for A Fire in the Hills (Red Hen Press). They each received $1,000. The annual award is given for a poetry collection published in the previous year. The next deadline is February 1, 2025.
Passaic County Community College, Paterson Poetry Prize, Poetry Center, 1 College Boulevard, Paterson, NJ 07505. (973) 684-6555. Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Founder and Executive Director of the Poetry Center. sbalik@pccc.edu poetrycenterpccc.com
PEN America
Emerging Voices Fellowship
Eleven writers received 2024 Emerging Voices Fellowships. They are poets Cyrana Martin of San Diego, California, Tzynya Pinchback of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Noelani Piters of San Francisco, and Magdalena Arias Vásquez of New York City; fiction writers S. Bec of New York City, Sidney Logan Echevarria of Belmont, North Carolina, Grace Z. L of California, and Jemila Pratt of Los Angeles; and nonfiction writers Na Mee of Juneau, Alaska, Gabb Schivone of Tucson, and Kou B. Thao of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They will each receive $1,500, a professional headshot, a one-year PEN America membership, a five-month professional mentorship with an established writer, and introductions to writers, editors, agents, and publishers. They will also participate in workshops on editing, public performance, and building a professional platform. The annual awards are given to emerging poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. The next deadline is January 31, 2025.
PEN America, Emerging Voices Fellowship, 120 Broadway, 26th Floor North, New York, NY 10271. ev@pen.org pen.org/emerging-voices-fellowship
Ploughshares
Ashley Leigh Bourne Prize for Fiction
Andre Dubus III of Newbury, Massachusetts, won the sixth annual Ashley Leigh Bourne Prize for Fiction for “Gary’s Way,” which appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Ploughshares. He received $2,500. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a short story published in Ploughshares in the previous year. There is no application process.
Ploughshares, Emerson College, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. (617) 824-3757. Olivia Carey, Managing Editor. pshares@pshares.org pshares.org
Press 53
Award for Short Fiction
George Choundas of Pleasantville, New York, won the 2024 Press 53 Award for Short Fiction for I Think I’ll Stay Here Forever. He will receive $1,000, publication of his book by Press 53 in May 2025, and 53 author copies. Claire V. Foxx judged. The annual award is given for a story collection. The next deadline is December 31.
Press 53, Award for Short Fiction, 560 North Trade Street, Suite 103, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. (336) 770-5353. Kevin Morgan Watson, Publisher and Editor in Chief. kevin@press53.com press53.com/award-for-short-fiction
Pulitzer Prizes
Prizes in Books
Brandon Som of San Diego, California, won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for Tripas (Georgia Review Books). The finalists were Jorie Graham of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for To 2040 (Copper Canyon Press) and Robyn Schiff of Chicago for Information Desk: An Epic (Penguin Books); Forrest Gander, Dana Levin, Roger Reeves, Vijay Seshadri, and Pimone Triplett judged. Jayne Anne Phillips of Boston and New York won the prize in fiction for Night Watch (Knopf). The finalists were Yiyun Li of Oakland for Wednesday’s Child (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) and Ed Park of New York City for Same Bed Different Dreams (Random House); Michael Chabon, Lan Samantha Chang, Tayari Jones, Lydia Millet, and Sam Sacks judged. Nathan Thrall of Jerusalem won the prize in general nonfiction for A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy (Metropolitan Books). The finalists were Siddharth Kara of Los Angeles and Nottingham, England, for Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives (St. Martin’s Press) and John Vaillant of Vancouver for Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World (Knopf); Thomas E. Ricks, Julia Sweig, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Ed Yong, and David Zucchino judged. Jacqueline Jones of Concord, Massachusetts, won the prize in history for No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggles of Boston’s Black Workers in the Civil War Era (Basic Books). The finalists were Elliott West of Fayetteville, Arkansas, for Continental Reckoning: The American West in the Age of Expansion (University of Nebraska Press) and Michael Willrich of Wellesley, Massachusetts, for American Anarchy: The Epic Struggle Between Immigrant Radicals and the US Government at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century (Basic Books); Jack E. Davis, Eric Foner, Tiya Miles, Natalia Molina, and Louis Warren judged. Jonathan Eig of Chicago won the prize in biography for King: A Life (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). Tracy Daugherty of Corvallis, Oregon, was the finalist for Larry McMurtry: A Life (St. Martin’s Press); Zachary D. Carter, Soyica Diggs Colbert, Caroline Fraser, Alec Nevala-Lee, and Amy Stanley judged. Cristina Rivera Garza of Houston won the prize in memoir or autobiography for Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice (Hogarth). The finalists were Andrew Leland of Northampton, Massachusetts, for The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight (Penguin Press) and Jonathan Rosen of New York City for The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions (Penguin Press); Chloé Cooper Jones, Azadeh Moaveni, J.R. Moehringer, Tara Westover, and Kao Kalia Yang judged. The winners each received $15,000. The annual awards honor works of poetry, fiction, general nonfiction, biography, and memoir or autobiography by U.S. writers, as well as U.S. history books, published in the United States during the previous year. (See Deadlines.)
Pulitzer Prizes, Prizes in Books, Columbia University, 709 Pulitzer Hall, 2950 Broadway, New York, NY 10027. (212) 854-3841. pulitzer@pulitzer.org pulitzer.org
Red Hen Press
Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award
Jose Hernandez Diaz of Riverside, California, won the 2023 Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award for Portrait of the Artist as a Brown Man. He received $3,000, and his book will be published by Red Hen Press in spring 2025. Juan Felipe Herrera judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
Red Hen Press, Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award, P.O. Box 40820, Pasadena, CA 91114. (626) 406-1203. Shelby Wallace, Production Editor. editorial@redhen.org redhen.org
Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation
Poetry Prize
Story Rhinehart of Shaker Heights, Ohio, won the 2024 Robinson Jeffers Tor House Poetry Prize for “The Day I Met St. Michael Sitting on the Steps of the Cuyahoga County Court House in Cleveland, Ohio.” She received $1,000. Sun Yung Shin judged. The award is given annually for a poem. The next deadline is March 15, 2025.
Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation, Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 223240, Carmel, CA 93922. (831) 624-1813. Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, Coordinator. thf@torhouse.org torhouse.org
Story
Story Foundation Prize
Stephen Fishbach of Washington, D.C., won the fifth annual Story Foundation Prize for “Wound Care.” He received $1,500 and publication in the Autumn 2024 issue of Story. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a short story. The next deadline is December 15.
Story, Story Foundation Prize, 312 E. Kelso Road, Columbus, OH 43202. (314) 614-8759. Michael Nye, Editor. mpnye@storymagazine.org storymagazine.org
swamp pink
Writing Prizes
Purvi Shah of New York City won the 2024 swamp pink Poetry Prize for “Whistle.” Jenny Xie judged. Aelita Parker of New York City won the Fiction Prize for “Rotten Teeth.” Daniyal Mueenuddin judged. Max Pasakorn of Singapore won the Nonfiction Prize for “Chili Padi Girl in a Chili Padi World.” Jaquira Díaz judged. They will each receive $2,000 and publication in swamp pink. The annual awards are given for a poem, a short story, and an essay. The next deadline is January 31, 2025.
swamp pink, Writing Prizes, College of Charleston, English Department, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424. Jonathan Bohr Heinen, Managing Editor. swamp-pink@cofc.edu swamp-pink.cofc.edu/2024-winners-finalists
Travelers’ Tales
Solas Awards
Sue Parman of Hillsboro, Oregon, won the 2024 Solas Awards Grand Prize for “You Can’t Get There From Here.” She received $1,000 and publication on the Travelers’ Tales website. Scott Dominic Carpenter judged. The annual award is given for a travel essay. (See Deadlines.)
Travelers’ Tales, Solas Awards, 2320 Bowdoin Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. info@besttravelwriting.com besttravelwriting.com
Trustees of the Robert Frost Farm
Frost Farm Prize for Metrical Poetry
Sarah Spivey of Oklahoma City won the 14th annual Frost Farm Prize for Metrical Poetry for “The Dispossession.” She received $1,000; an invitation and a $400 honorarium to read at the Robert Frost Farm in Derry, New Hampshire; and a full scholarship to attend the Frost Farm Conference in August. A.M. Juster judged. The annual award is given for a single poem written in a metrical form. The next deadline is March 31, 2025.
Trustees of the Robert Frost Farm, Frost Farm Prize for Metrical Poetry, c/o Robert Crawford, 280 Candia Road, Chester, NH 03036. hylabrookpoets@gmail.com frostfarmpoetry.org/prize
University of North Texas Press
Vassar Miller Prize
Kristin Robertson of Macon, Georgia, won the 2024 Vassar Miller Prize for Chance of Lightning. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by University of North Texas Press in April 2025. Melissa H. Range judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
University of North Texas Press, Vassar Miller Prize, 1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203. (940) 565-2142. Joseph Alderman, Marketing Manager. joseph.alderman@unt.edu untpress.unt.edu/authors/vassar-miller-submissions
University of Utah Press
Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry
Sara Ellen Fowler of Los Angeles won the 2023 Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry for Two Signatures. She received $1,000, publication of her book by University of Utah Press, and $500 in travel and lodging expenses to give a reading at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Joan Naviyuk Kane judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is April 15, 2025.
University of Utah Press, Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry, J. Willard Marriott Library, 295 South 1500 East, Suite 5400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112. Hannah New, Marketing Manager. hannah.new@utah.edu uofupress.com/ali-poetry-prize.php
Verse
Tomaž Šalamun Prize
Antonina Palisano of New York City won the 2024 Tomaž Šalamun Prize for Axiom for When the Stars Go Out. She received $1,000, and her chapbook will be published by Factory Hollow Press in spring 2025. She will also receive 10 author copies and a monthlong residency at the Tomaž Šalamun Centre for Poetry in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Additionally, her chapbook will be translated into Slovenian and published by the Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities. Shane McCrae judged. The annual award is given for a poetry chapbook. The next deadline is March 15, 2025.
Verse, Tomaž Šalamun Prize, University of Richmond, English Department, 106 UR Drive, Richmond, VA 23173. (804) 287-6431. Brian Henry, Editor. salamunprize@gmail.com factoryhollowpress.com/tomaz-salamun-prize
Yale University Library
Windham-Campbell Prizes
Poets Jen Hadfield of the Shetland Islands in Scotland and M. NourbeSe Philip of Toronto; fiction writers Deirdre Madden of Dublin and Kathryn Scanlan of Los Angeles; and nonfiction writers Hanif Abdurraqib of Columbus, Ohio, and Christina Sharpe of Toronto are among the writers who won the 2024 Windham-Campbell Prizes. They each received $175,000. The annual awards are given to emerging and established poets and prose writers to “allow them to focus on their work independent of financial concerns.” There is no application process.
Yale University Library, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, 121 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06511. windhamcampbellprizes@yale.edu windhamcampbell.org
Yale University Press
Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize
John Liles of Fort Bragg, California, won the 2024 Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize for Bees, and After. His book will be published by Yale University Press in April 2025. Rae Armantrout judged. The annual award is given for a debut poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
Yale University Press, Yale Series of Younger Poets Prize, P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520. ysyp@yale.edu yalebooks.yale.edu/yale-series-of-younger-poets-rules
Zócalo Public Square
Book Prize
Héctor Tobar of Los Angeles won the 14th annual Zócalo Public Square Book Prize for Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino” (MCD). He received $10,000 and an invitation to speak at Zócalo Public Square’s Book Prize event in Los Angeles. The annual award is given for a book of nonfiction published in the United States in the previous year that “best enhances our understanding of community and the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness and social cohesion.” As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Poetry Prize
Melanie Almeder of Salem, Virginia, won the 13th annual Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize for “Coyote Hour.” She received $1,000, and a recorded recitation of her poem will be played at Zócalo Public Square’s Poetry Prize event in Los Angeles. The annual award is given for a single poem that “best evokes a connection to place.” As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Zócalo Public Square, 1111 South Broadway, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90015. support@zocalopublicsquare.org zocalopublicsquare.org