Established in 1984, the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award, which aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement, has helped to launch the careers of Sue Monk Kidd (The Invention of Wings, The Secret Life of Bees), David Mura (Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei), Mona Simpson (Case), Lidia Yuknavitch (Thrust), and others. Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 112 writers from forty-four states and the District of Columbia have been selected to participate. The award is generously supported by Maureen Mahon Egen, a member of the Poets & Writers Emeritus Board of Directors.
Iowa Selected for Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award
Writers from the state of Iowa are invited to apply for the 2023 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award. One fiction writer and one poet will be selected. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to meet with top literary professionals, including editors, agents, publishers, and prominent writers. This year’s judges are Alejandro Varela for fiction and Megan Fernandes for poetry. Entries must be submitted by February 10, 2023.
Read the guidelines and submit an entry form
Nebraska Writers Kate Gaskin and Gene Kwak Win Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award
The winners of the 2022 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award are Kate Gaskin for poetry and Gene Kwak for fiction. The judges were Ru Freeman for fiction and Sandra Lim for poetry. In November, the two winners will travel to New York City to meet with agents, editors, authors, and others. In addition, the winners will each receive a $500 honorarium; present a reading for the public, hosted by Poets & Writers; and be invited to participate in a one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Banner, Wyoming.
Read an excerpt from Kate Gaskin’s manuscript, 2022 winner in poetry. (PDF)
Read an excerpt from Gene Kwak’s manuscript, 2022 winner in fiction. (PDF)
Kate Gaskin and Gene Kwak are the winners of the 2022 Writers Exchange Award.
(Credits: Dominic Gaskin, Kevin Kwak.)
Past Winners
- Paige Ackerson-Kiely, Vermont
- Constance Alexander, Kentucky
- Nolde Alexius, Louisiana
- Doug Anderson, Massachusetts
- Kimo Armitage, Hawai‘i
- Elaine Beale, California (*)
- Sandra Beasley, Washington, D.C.
- Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo, California (*)
- Sean Bernard, California (*)
- Chana Bloch, California
- Magda Bogin, New York
- Jonathan Bolt, West Virginia
- Anthony C. Brusate, Kentucky
- B. J. Buckley, Montana
- Claudia Burbank, New Jersey
- John Caddy, Minnesota
- John Campbell, Oregon
- Karen Chamberlain, Utah
- Bryn Chancellor, Alabama
- Michael Chitwood, North Carolina
- Sanda Moore Coleman, Kansas
- Larry Colker, California (*)
- Carolyn Coman, Massachusetts
- Lydia A. Cyrus, West Virginia
- Laura Joyce Davis, California (*)
- Daniel Degnan, New Jersey
- Courtney Denelle, Rhode Island
- Joan Dempsey, Maine
- Janet Desaulniers, Illinois
- Denise Duhamel, Pennsylvania
- Kim Edwards, Ohio
- John Engman, Minnesota
- Brian Evans-Jones, Maine
- Blas Falconer, Tennessee
- Roger Fanning, Washington
- José Faus, Kansas
- Sascha Feinstein, Indiana
- Bryan Allen Fierro, Alaska
- David Galef, Mississippi
- Dorothy Gannon, Vermont
- Elizabeth Graver, Massachusetts
- Kate Green, Minnesota
- Simon Han, Oklahoma
- Jean Hanson, Wyoming
- Charlotte Holmes, Pennsylvania
- Joshua Idaszak, Arkansas
- Anushah Jiwani, Arkansas
- Matthew Kailey, Colorado
- Laura Kasischke, Michigan
- Sue Monk Kidd, South Carolina
- Miriam Kuznets, Texas
- Mary La Chapelle, Minnesota
- Robert Lacy, Minnesota
- Dylan Landis, California (*)
- Joseph Langdon, Nevada
- Jeanne Leiby, Florida
- Lisa Lewis, Texas
- Steven L'Italien, Arizona
- Quitman Marshall, South Carolina
- Deirdra McAfee, Virginia
- Shena McAuliffe, Missouri
- Jeanne McDonald, Tennessee
- Mollye Miller, Maryland
- Harry Moore, Alabama
- Jim Moore, Minnesota
- Lee Ann Mortenson, Utah
- Delisa Mulkey, Georgia
- David Mura, Minnesota
- Patrick Murtagh, Montana
- Rhonda Nelson, Florida
- Brent Newsom, Oklahoma
- Fae Myenne Ng, California
- Elizabeth Oness, Wisconsin
- Jill Osier, Alaska
- Craig Santos Perez, California (*)
- David Peterman, Ohio
- Paul Pfeiffer, Indiana
- Rosemary Powers, Nevada
- C. L. Rawlins, Wyoming
- David Reynolds, Michigan
- Brad Richard, Louisiana
- Andrés Rodriguez, Missouri
- Ruth Roston, Minnesota
- Angela Rydell, Wisconsin
- Diza Sauers, Arizona
- Nancy Schoenberger, New York
- Adam Schwartz, Maryland
- Rebecca Seiferle, New Mexico
- Barbara Selfridge, California
- David Dean Shavit, Illinois
- Pamela Shephard, New Mexico
- Aleda Shirley, Mississippi
- Mona Simpson, New York
- Gregory Blake Smith, Minnesota
- Matthew Stadler, Washington
- Norman Stock, New York
- Susan Straight, California
- Craig Taylor, California
- Willett Thomas, Washington, D.C.
- Alicia Upano, Hawai‘i
- Reetika Vaziriani, Virginia
- Jodie Noel Vinson, Rhode Island
- Jane Wampler, Colorado
- Lauren K. Watel, Georgia
- David Weaver, North Carolina
- Susan Welch, Minnesota
- Allison Benis White, California (*)
- Lidia Yuknavitch, Oregon
(*) Winners of the California Writers Exchange, which was offered periodically from 2004 to 2013, with support from the James Irvine Foundation.
Read more about past WEX Award Winners. (PDF)
Read an essay by past winner Brian Evans-Jones.(PDF)
Watch a video of past winner Sandra Beasley speaking about the award.