Academy of American Poets
Wallace Stevens Award
Jorie Graham of Cambridge, Massachusetts, won the 2017 Wallace Stevens Award. She received $100,000. The Academy's Board of Chancellors judged. The annual award is given to a poet to "recognize outstanding and proven mastery in the art of poetry." There is no application process.
Academy of american Poets Fellowship
Ed Roberson of Chicago won the 2017 Academy of American Poets Fellowship. He received $25,000. The Academy's Board of Chancellors judged. The annual fellowship is given to an American poet for distinguished poetic achievement. There is no application process.
Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize
James Laughlin Award
sam sax of New York City won the 2017 James Laughlin Award for his poetry collection Bury It (Wesleyan University Press, 2018). He received $5,000, a weeklong residency at the Betsy Hotel in Miami, and distribution of his book to members of the Academy of American Poets. Tyehimba Jess, Ruth Ellen Kocher, and Jill McDonough judged. The annual award is given for a second collection by a U.S. poet. The next deadline is May 15.
Raiziss/de Palchi Fellowship
Thomas E. Peterson of Athens, Georgia, won the 2017 Raiziss/de Palchi Fellowship for his translation from the Italian of selected poems by Franco Fortini. He received $25,000 and a five-week residency at the American Academy in Rome. Maria Luisa Ardizzone, Antonello Borra, and Alessandro Carrera judged. The biennial award is given for a translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry.
(See Deadlines.)
Harold Morton Landon Translation Award
Piotr Florczyk of Los Angeles won the 2017 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award for his translation from the Polish of Building the Barricade by Anna Świrszczyńska (Tavern Books, 2016). He received $1,000. Marilyn Hacker judged. The annual award is given to a U.S. citizen for a translation of a book of poetry from any language into English, published in the United States during the previous year.
(See Deadlines.)
Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038. (212) 274-0343. Nikay Paredes, Programs Coordinator.
awards@poets.org
www.poets.org/awards
Airlie Press
Airlie Prize
Sarah McCartt-Jackson of Louisville, Kentucky, won the 2017 Airlie Prize for her poetry collection Stonelight. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by Airlie Press in October 2018. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
Airlie Press, Airlie Prize, P.O. Box 82653, Portland, OR 97282. (503) 890-9877. Anatoly Molotkov, Editor.
am@amolotkov.com
www.airliepress.org
Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Award Series
Four writers won the 2017 Association of Writers & Writing Programs Award Series prizes. Brynne Rebele-Henry of Richmond won the $5,500 Donald Hall Prize for Poetry. Her collection, Autobiography of a Wound, selected by Kim Addonizio, will be published by University of Pittsburgh Press. Jon Chopan of St. Petersburg, Florida, won the $5,500 Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction. His collection, Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, selected by Sue Miller, will be published by University of Massachusetts Press. Joshua Bernstein of Duluth won the $2,500 Award Series for the Novel. His novel, Rachel's Tomb, selected by Timothy DeLizza, will be published by New Issues Press. Wang Ping of Saint Paul won the $2,500 AWP Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Her book, Life of Miracles Along the Yangtze and Mississippi, selected by Gretel Ehrlich, will be published by University of Georgia Press. The annual awards are given for books of poetry, fiction, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. (See Deadlines.)
Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Award Series, University of Maryland, 5245 Greenbelt Road, Box #246, College Park, MD 20740. (301) 226-9710.
www.awpwriter.org/contests
Atlanta Review
International Poetry Competition
Mary Makofske of Warwick, New York, won the 2017 International Poetry Competition for her poem "Nasreen's Story." She received $1,000, and her poem was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Atlanta Review. Cecilia Woloch judged. The annual award is given for a poem. (See Deadlines.)
Atlanta Review, International Poetry Competition, 686 Cherry Street NW, Suite 333, Atlanta, GA 30332. Karen Head, Editor.
www.atlantareview.com
Australian Book Review
Calibre Essay Prize
Michael Adams of Wollongong, Australia, won the 2017 Calibre Essay Prize for "Salt Blood." He received $5,000 AUD (approximately $3,800), and his essay was published in the June/July 2017 issue of Australian Book Review. Darius Sepehri of Sydney won the second-place prize for "To Speak of Sorrow." He received $2,500 AUD (approximately $1,900), and his essay was published in the August 2017 issue of Australian Book Review. Sheila Fitzpatrick, Peter Rose, and Geordie Williamson judged. The annual award is given for an essay. (See Deadlines.)
Australian Book Review, Calibre Essay Prize, 207 City Road, Studio 2, Southbank, Victoria, Australia 3006.
abr@australianbookreview.com.au
www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/calibre-prize
Backwaters Press
Backwaters Prize
Ben Naka-Hasebe Kingsley of Baltimore won the 2017 Backwaters Prize for his poetry collection Temporary Sacrosanct. He received $2,500, and his book will be published by Backwaters Press in Fall 2018. Bob Hicok judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is May 31.
Backwaters Press, Backwaters Prize, 1124 Pacific Street, #8392, Omaha, NE 68108. (402) 451-4052. Michael Catherwood, Editor.
www.thebackwaterspress.com
Bear Star Press
Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize
Wendy Willis of Portland, Oregon, won the 2017 Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize for her collection A Long Late Pledge. She received $1,000 and publication of her book by Bear Star Press. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection by a writer who lives in a state west of the central time zone. The next deadline is November 30.
Bear Star Press, Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize, 185 Hollow Oak Drive, Cohasset, CA. (530) 891-0360. Beth Spencer, Editor.
beth@bearstarpress.com
www.bearstarpress.com
BkMk Press
Ciardi/Chandra Prizes
Berwyn Moore of Erie, Pennsylvania, won the John Ciardi Prize for Poetry for her collection Sweet Herbaceous Miracle. Enid Shomer judged. Rachel Groves of Kansas City, Missouri, won the G. S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction for her collection When We Were Someone Else. Hilma Wolitzer judged. The winners each received $1,000, and their books will be published by BkMk Press. The annual awards are given for collections of poetry and short fiction. The next deadline is January 15.
BkMk Press, Ciardi/Chandra Prizes, University of Missouri, 5101 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110. (816) 235-2558. Ben Furnish, Managing Editor.
bkmk@umkc.edu
www.newletters.org/writers-wanted/bkmk-writing-contests
Black Lawrence Press
Big Moose Prize
Shena McAuliffe of Richmond, Indiana, won the 2017 Big Moose Prize for her novel, The Good Echo. She received $1,000, and her novel will be published by Black Lawrence Press. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a novel. (See Deadlines.)
Black Lawrence Press, Big Moose Prize, 326 Bigham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. (412) 488-8833. Diane Goettel, Executive Editor.
diane@blacklawrencepress.com
www.blacklawrence.com/submissions-and-contests/the-big-moose-prize
BOA Editions
Short Fiction Prize
Molly Reid of Cincinnati won the seventh annual BOA Editions Short Fiction Prize for her collection The Rapture Index: A Suburban Bestiary. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by BOA Editions in Spring 2019. Peter Conners judged. The annual award is given for a short story collection. The next deadline is May 31.
BOA Editions, Short Fiction Prize, P.O. Box 30971, Rochester, NY 14603. Ron Martin-Dent, Contact.
martindent@boaeditions.org
www.boaeditions.org
Booker Prize Foundation
Man Booker Prize for Fiction
George Saunders of Syracuse, New York, won the 2017 Man Booker Prize for his novel, Lincoln in the Bardo (Random House). He received £50,000 (approximately $66,000). The finalists, each of whom received £2,500 (approximately $3,300), were Paul Auster of New York City for 4 3 2 1 (Henry Holt); Emily Fridlund of Ithaca, New York, for History of Wolves (Atlantic Monthly Press); Mohsin Hamid of Lahore, Pakistan, for Exit West (Riverhead Books); Fiona Mozley of York, England, for Elmet (JM Originals); and Ali Smith of Cambridge, England, for Autumn (Pantheon). Lila Azam Zanganeh, Sarah Hall, Tom Phillips, Colin Thubron, and Lola Young judged. Sponsored by the Man Group, a global investment management company, the annual award is given for a novel published in the previous year that is written in English and published in the United Kingdom. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Booker Prize Foundation, Man Booker Prize for Fiction, 28 St. James's Walk, London EC1R 0AP, England.
themanbookerprize.com
Boulevard
Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers
Anastasia Selby of Syracuse, New York, won the 2016 Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers for "Certain Fires." She received $1,500, and her story was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Boulevard. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a short story by a writer who has not published a book with a nationally distributed press. The next deadline is December 31.
Boulevard, Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers, P.O. Box 325, 6614 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, MO 63117. Jessica Rogen, Editor.
www.boulevardmagazine.org
Caine Prize for African Writing
Bushra al-Fadil of Saudi Arabia won the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story “The Story of the Girl Whose Birds Flew Away.” He received £10,000 (approximately $13,200), which he split with his translator, Max Shmookler. He also received a monthlong residency at Georgetown University as the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice’s Writer-in-Residence, and was invited to attend literary festivals in Cape Town; Nairobi, Kenya; and Abeokuta, Nigeria. The finalists were Lesley Nneka Arimah of Minneapolis for “Who Will Greet You At Home”; Chikodili Emelumadu of London for “Bush Baby”; Arinze Ifeakandu of Nsukka, Nigeria, for “God’s Children Are Little Broken Things”; and Magogodi oaMphela Makhene of New York City for “The Virus.” They each received £500 (approximately $600). Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Monica Arac de Nyeko, Ghazi Gheblawi, Ricardo Ortiz, and Ranka Primorac judged. The annual award is given for a published short story by an African writer.
(See Deadlines.)
Caine Prize for African Writing, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU, England. Lizzy Attree, Director.
info@caineprize.com
www.caineprize.com
Chicago Tribune
Nelson Algren Short story award
Kate Osana Simonian of Lubbock, Texas, won the 2017 Nelson Algren Award for her short story "Le Problem Being." She received $3,500, and her story was published in the Chicago Tribune. The finalists, who each received $1,000, were Brooke Bullman of Huntsville, Alabama, for "Found Objects"; Carol Keeley of Boulder, Colorado, for "Errata"; Josh Oakley of Auburn, California, for "Canyon Mountain, MT"; Lori Ann Stephens of Dallas for "We Could Learn a Lot"; and Rebecca Wurtz of Minneapolis for "Water Like Air." The runners-up, who each received $500, were Elizabeth Collison of San Francisco for "William and Sarah," and Leah Velez of Chicago for "The Lobster's Daughter." The finalists and runners-up were all published in Printers Row, the Chicago Tribune's digital literary journal. The annual award is given for a short story.
(See Deadlines.)
Chicago Tribune, Nelson Algren Short Story Award, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. (312) 222-3232.
www.chicagotribune.com
Christopher G. Moore Foundation
Moore Prize for nonfiction
Anjan Sundaram of Banglore, India, won the inaugural Moore Prize for Nonfiction for his book Bad News: Last Journalists in a Dictatorship (Random House, 2016). He received £1,000 (approximately $1,320). Narisa Chakrabongse, Christopher G. Moore, and Ma Thida judged. The annual award is given for a book of nonfiction published during the previous year that “advances our understanding of human rights issues.” The next deadline is September 31.
Christopher G. Moore Foundation, Moore Prize for Nonfiction, 71-75 Shelton Street, London, UK WC2H 9JQ. Daniel Vaver, Contact.
dv@cgmoorefoundation.com
www.cgmoorefoundation.com/prize
Cider Press Review
Editors' Prize Book Award
Devon J. Moore of Syracuse, New York, won the 2017 Editors' Prize Book Award for her poetry collection All Throats Sound Animal. She received $1,000, publication of her book by Cider Press Review, and 25 author copies. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is June 30.
Cider Press Review, Editors' Prize Book Award, P.O. Box 33384, San Diego, CA 92163. (717) 417-8596. Caron Andregg, Editor in Chief.
editor@ciderpressreview.com
www.ciderpressreview.com/bookaward
Creative Nonfiction
Essay Contest
Rachel Wilkinson of Pittsburgh won the "Dialogue Between Science and Religion" Essay Contest for "Search History." She received $10,000 and publication in Creative Nonfiction Issue 65. Jamie Zvirzdin of Baltimore won the second-place prize for "Shuddering Before the Beautiful: Trains of Thought Across the Mormon Cosmos." She received $5,000 and publication in Creative Nonfiction Issue 65. The editors judged. The quarterly award is given for an essay on a theme. The next deadline is February 26.
Creative Nonfiction, Essay Contest, 5119 Coral Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Chad Vogler, Assistant Editor.
information@creativenonfiction.org
www.creativenonfiction.org
Cultural Center of Cape Cod
National Poetry Competition
John Blair of San Marcos, Texas, won the Cultural Center of Cape Cod's National Poetry Competition for his poem "The Law of Unintended Consequences." He received $1,000, and his poem was published on the Cultural Center of Cape Cod's website. The annual award is given for a poem that has not won a national competition. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Cultural Center of Cape Cod, National Poetry Competition, 307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA 02664. Lauren Wolk, Associate Director.
www.cultural-center.org
Dayton Literary Peace Foundation
Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award
Fiction and nonfiction writer Colm Tóibín of New York City won the 2017 Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award. He received $10,000. The annual award honors an author whose complete body of work reflects the Dayton Literary Peace Prize’s mission to “foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” There is no application process.
Dayton Literary Peace Foundation, Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award, P.O. Box 461, Wright Brothers Branch, Dayton, OH 45409. (937) 298-5072. Sharon Rab, Chair.
sharon.rab@daytonliterarypeaceprize.org
www.daytonliterarypeaceprize.org
Ex Ophidia Press
Poetry book prize
Charles Wyatt of Nashville won the 2017 Ex Ophidia Press Poetry Book Prize for Rembrandt's Nose. He received $1,000, and his collection was published by Ex Ophidia Press in December. Richard-Gabriel Rummonds judged. The annual award is given for a collection of poetry. The next deadline is August 15.
Ex Ophidia Press, Poetry Book Prize, 724 Tyler Street, Suite 3, Port Townsend, WA 98368. (360) 385-9966.
rummonds@msn.com
www.exophidiapress.org
French-American Foundation
Translation Prizes
Sam Taylor of Texarkana, Texas, won the 30th annual Translation Prize in fiction for his translation of Maylis de Kerangal's novel The Heart (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). He received $10,000. Jane Marie Todd of Portland, Oregon, Lauren Elkin of Paris, and Charlotte Mandell of Red Hook, New York, won prizes in nonfiction. Todd won for her translation of The French Resistance (Harvard University Press) by Olivier Wieviorka; Elkin and Mandell won for their co-translation of Jean Cocteau: A Life (Yale University Press) by Claude Arnaud. Todd received $5,000; Elkin and Mandell each received $2,500. The annual awards are given for books of fiction and nonfiction translated from French into English and published during the previous year. The next deadline is January 31.
French-American Foundation, Translation Prizes, 28 West 44th Street, Suite 1420, New York, NY 10036. (212) 829-8800.
info@frenchamerican.org
www.frenchamerican.org/translationprize
Glimmer Train Press
Short Story Award for New Writers
Dan Murphy of New York City won the Short Story Award for New Writers for "In Miniature." He received $2,500, and his story will be published in Issue 101 of Glimmer Train Stories. The editors judged. The award is given three times a year for a short story by a writer whose fiction has not appeared in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000. (See Deadlines.)
Glimmer Train Press, Short Story Award for New Writers, P.O. Box 80430, Portland, OR 97280. (503) 221-0836. Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda Swanson-Davies, Coeditors.
www.glimmertrain.com
Hunger Mountain
Literary Prizes
Ezra Baeli-Wang of Raleigh, North Carolina, won the 2017 Ruth Stone Poetry Prize for his poem "Being of Islands." Mike Alberti of Minneapolis won the 2017 Howard Frank Mosher Short Fiction Prize for his story "The Morning After the Hometown Diner Burned Down." Richard Gilbert of New River Valley, Virginia, won the 2017 Creative Nonfiction Prize for his essay "Animals Saved Me." They each received $1,000, and their winning pieces will be published in Ephemeral Artery, Hunger Mountain's online publication. Major Jackson judged in poetry, Matt Bell judged in fiction, and Joni Tevis judged in nonfiction. The annual awards are given for a poem, a story, and an essay. (See Deadlines.)
Hunger Mountain, Literary Prizes, Vermont College of Fine Arts, 36 College Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.
hungermtn@vcfa.edu
www.hungermtn.org
James Jones Literary Society
First Novel Fellowship
Erin Kate Ryan of Minneapolis won the 26th annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship for her novel manuscript "Quantum Girl Theory." She received $10,000 and publication of an excerpt of her novel in Provincetown Arts. The two runners-up were Glori Simmons of Oakland for her manuscript "Restell" and Jennie Lin of San Bruno, California, for her manuscript "The Unpassing." They each received $1,000. Lisa Greim, Greg Hrbek, and Laurie Loewenstein judged. The annual award is given for a novel-in-progress that "honors the spirit of unblinking honesty, determination, and insight into modern culture exemplified by the late James Jones." (See Deadlines.)
James Jones Literary Society, First Novel Fellowship, Wilkes University, Creative Writing Program, 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766. Bonnie Culver, Program Director.
jamesjonesfirstnovel@wilkes.edu
www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp
Lascaux Review
Lascaux Prize in Collected Poetry
Cynthia Manick of New York City won the 2016 Lascaux Prize in Collected Poetry for Blue Hallelujahs (Black Lawrence Press). She received $1,000. The annual award is given for a poetry collection published during the previous two years. (See Deadlines.)
Lascaux Review, Lascaux Prize in Collected Poetry, 275 Conner Street, Clinton, AR 72031.
www.lascauxreview.com
Little Tokyo Historical Society
Short Story Contest
Elizabeth Farris of Payson, Arizona, and Wellington, New Zealand, won the 2017 Little Tokyo Historical Society Short Story Contest for "Unspoken." She received $500 and publication in Rafu Shimpo and on the Discover Nikkei website. Momoko Iko, Valerie Matsumoto, and Jon Shirota judged. The annual award is given for a short story that takes place in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles. (See Deadlines.)
Little Tokyo Historical Society, Short Story Contest, 319 East Second Street #203, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
www.littletokyohs.org
Los Angeles Review
Literary Awards
Samuel Ace of Tucson, Arizona, won the Los Angeles Review Literary Award in poetry for his poem “I finally made it through the birds the birds.” Joseph Hernandez of Los Angeles won the award in short fiction for “The Christening of the Fruit.” Debra A. Daniel of Columbia, South Carolina, won the award in flash fiction for “And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon.” Renée Branum of Missoula, Montana, won the award in nonfiction for “Certainty.” They each received $1,000 and publication in Los Angeles Review. Julie Marie Wade judged in poetry, Amy Hassinger judged in short fiction, Kate Gale judged in flash fiction, and Carol Becker judged in nonfiction. The biannual awards are given for a poem, a story, a short short story, and an essay. The next deadline is June 30.
Los Angeles Review, Literary Awards, 1335 North Lake Avenue #200, Pasadena, CA 91104. (626) 356-4760.
editor@losangelesreview.org
losangelesreview.org
MacArthur Foundation
MacArthur Fellowships
Fiction and nonfiction writer Viet Thanh Nguyen of Los Angeles and fiction writer Jesmyn Ward of New Orleans won 2017 MacArthur Fellowships. Nguyen, whose most recent book is Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War (Harvard University Press, 2016); and Ward, whose most recent book is the novel Sing, Unburied, Sing (Simon & Schuster, 2017), will each receive $625,000 over five years. The annual fellowships are given in a variety of fields to "enable recipients to exercise their own creative instincts for the benefit of human society." There is no application process.
MacArthur Foundation, Office of Grants Management, 161 N Clark Street, Suite 700, Chicago, IL 60601. (312) 726-8000.
4answers@macfound.org
www.macfound.org
Mississippi Arts Commission
Literary Artist Fellowships
Creative nonfiction writer Asia Rainey of Tupelo, Mississippi, received a $5,000 Literary Arts Fellowship from the Mississippi Arts Commission. The fellowships are given in alternating years to Mississippi poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. (See Deadlines.)
Mississippi Arts Commission, Literary Artist Fellowships, 501 North West Street, Woolfolk Building, Suite 1101A, Jackson, MS 39201. (601) 359-6035. Melody Moody Thortis, Contact.
mthortis@arts.ms.gov
arts.ms.gov/grants/grants-for-individuals/artist-fellowships
Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund
Individual Artist Grants for Women
Nonfiction writers Michelle Bowdler of Sudbury, Massachusetts, Wynne Brown of Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson of Baltimore, M. J. Kledzik of Norfolk, Virginia, Deborah Ostrovsky of Montreal, Fatima Policarpo of Sacramento, California, Laura Ellyn Robbins of Montreal, Stephanie Sauer of Grass Valley, California, and Cindy Stewart-Rinier of Portland, Oregon, each won $1,500 Individual Artist Grants for Women. Poets Leila Chatti of Provincetown, Massachusetts, Wendy Chen of Syracuse, New York, Tracy Fuad of Jersey City, Maggie Graber of Valparaiso, Indiana, Cynthia Manick of New York City, Jessica Mehta of Hillsboro, Oregon, Jo Pitkin of Cold Spring, New York, Savannah Sipple of Lexington, Kentucky, and Emily Jungmin Yoon of Chicago received $500 grants. The annual grants are given to feminist poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are citizens of the United States or Canada. The next round of grants will be awarded to fiction writers and mixed-genre writers.
(See Deadlines.)
Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Individual Artist Grants for Women, P.O. Box 717, Bearsville, NY 12409.
demingfund@gmail.com
demingfund.org
Narrative
Narrative Prize
Javier Zamora of San Rafael, California, won the 2017 Narrative Prize for his poems "Sonoran Song," "To the President-Elect," and "Thoughts on the Anniversary of My Crossing the Sonoran Desert." He received $4,000. The annual award is given for a poem or group of poems, a short story, a novel excerpt, or a work of creative nonfiction published in Narrative during the previous year. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Poetry Contest
Raven Leilani of New York City won the ninth annual Poetry Contest for her poems “Grind” and “Carnivora.” She received $1,500 and publication in Narrative. The annual award is given for a poem or group of poems. The next deadline is July 20.
Narrative. Tom Jenks, Editor.
www.narrativemagazine.com
National Book Foundation
National Book Awards
Frank Bidart of Cambridge, Massachusetts won the 2017 National Book Award in poetry for Half-light: Collected Poems 1965–2016 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). The finalists in poetry were Layli Long Soldier of Tsaile, Arizona, for WHEREAS (Graywolf Press); Leslie Harrison of Baltimore for The Book of Endings (University of Akron Press); Shane McCrae of Oberlin, Ohio, for In the Language of My Captor (Wesleyan); and Danez Smith of Minneapolis for Don’t Call Us Dead (Graywolf Press). Jesmyn Ward of New Orleans won the 2017 National Book Award in fiction for her novel Sing, Unburied, Sing (Scribner). The finalists in fiction were Elliot Ackerman of Washington, D.C., for his novel Dark at the Crossing (Vintage); Lisa Ko of New York City for her novel The Leavers (Algonquin Books); Min Jin Lee of New York City for her novel Pachinko (Grand Central Publishing); and Carmen Maria Machado of Philadelphia for her story collection Her Body and Other Parties (Graywolf Press). Masha Gessen of New York City won the 2017 National Book Award in nonfiction for The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia (Riverhead). The finalists in nonfiction were Erika Armstrong Dunbar of Philadelphia for Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge (Atria); Frances FitzGerald of New York City for The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America (Simon & Schuster); David Grann of New York City for Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (Doubleday); and Nancy MacLean of Durham, North Carolina, for Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America (Viking). Robin Benway of Los Angeles won the 2017 National Book Award in young people’s literature for her novel Far From the Tree (HarperTeen). The finalists in young people’s literature were Elana K. Arnold of Huntington Beach, California, for her novel What Girls Are Made Of (Carolrhoda Lab); Erika L. Sánchez of Chicago I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (Knopf); Rita Williams-Garcia of New York City for her novel Clayton Byrd Goes Underground (Amistad); and Ibi Zoboi of New York City for her novel American Street (Balzer + Bray). The poetry judges were Nick Flynn, Jane Mead, Gregory Pardlo, Richard Siken, and Monica Youn; the fiction judges were Alexander Chee, Dave Eggers, Annie Philbrick, Karolina Waclawiak, and Jacqueline Woodson; the nonfiction judges were Steve Bercu, Jeff Chang, Ruth Franklin, Paula J. Giddings, and Valeria Luiselli; and the young people’s literature judges were Suzanna Hermans, Brendan Kiely, Kekla Magoon, Meg Medina, and Alex Sanchez. The annual awards honor books of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by U.S. writers published during the award year. The next deadline is May 15.
5 under 35
Five fiction writers were selected as the National Book Foundation's 2017 5 Under 35 honorees. They are Lesley Nneka Arimah of Minneapolis for her story collection, What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky (Riverhead, 2017), selected by Chris Bachelder; Halle Butler of Chicago for her novel, Jillian (Curbside Splendor, 2015), selected by Lydia Millet; Zinzi Clemmons of Los Angeles for her novel, What We Lose (Viking, 2017), selected by Angela Flournoy; Leopoldine Core of New York City for her story collection, When Watched (Penguin, 2016), selected by Karan Mahajan; and Weike Wang of New York City for her novel, Chemistry (Knopf, 2017), selected by Sherman Alexie. They each received $1,000. 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.
www.nationalbook.org
National Poetry Series
Open Competition
Five poets won the 2017 National Poetry Series Open Competition. They are Lindsay Bernal of Front Royal, Virginia, for What It Doesn’t Have to Do With, selected by Paul Guest and to be published by University of Georgia Press; Jos Charles of Long Beach, California, for feeld, selected by Fady Joudah and to be published by Milkweed Editions; Dominique Christina of Denver for Anarcha Speaks, selected by Tyehimba Jess and to be published by Beacon Press; J. Michael Martinez of Denver for Museum of the Americas, selected by Cornelius Eady and to be published by Penguin Books; and GennaRose Nethercott of Guilford, Vermont, for The Lumberjack’s Dove, selected by Louise Glück and to be published by Ecco. They each received $10,000. The National Poetry Series annually publishes poetry manuscripts by U.S. poets through participating trade, university, and small press publishers.
(See Deadlines.)
National Poetry Series, Open Competition, 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08540.
www.nationalpoetryseries.org
New American Press
Poetry Prize
Kit Frick of New York City won the 2017 New American Poetry Prize for her collection A Small Rising Up in the Lungs. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by New American Press in Fall 2018. Jesse Lee Kercheval judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is January 15.
Fiction Prize
Marina Mularz of Los Angeles won the 2017 New American Fiction Prize for her collection Welcome to Freedom Point. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by New American Press. Gina Frangello judged. The annual award is given for a story collection, novella, or novel. The next deadline is June 15.
New American Press, 2606 East Locust Street, Milwaukee, WI 53211. David Bowen, Senior Editor.
newamericanpress@gmail.com
www.newamericanpress.com/contests
New Letters
Literary Awards
Myrna Stone of Greenville, Ohio, won the 2017 New Letters Prize in Poetry for “The Resurrectionist’s Diary” and other poems. Robert Oldshue of Boston won the Prize in Fiction for his story “Thomas.” E. D. Galbraith of Ipswich, Massachusetts, won the Prize in Nonfiction for her essay “In the Absence of Obligation.” They each received $1,500 and publication in the Winter 2018 issue of New Letters. Jo McDougall judged in poetry, Cristina García judged in fiction, and Sergio Troncoso judged in nonfiction. The annual awards are given for a group of poems, a story, and an essay. The next deadline is May 18.
New Letters, Literary Awards, University of Missouri, 5101 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110. (816) 235-1169. Ashley Wann, Contest Manager.
newletters@umkc.edu
www.newletters.org/writers-wanted
Nobel Foundation
Nobel Prize in Literature
Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro of London won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. Ishiguro, whose most recent book is The Buried Giant (Random House, 2015), received nine million Swedish kronor (approximately one million dollars). A committee of the Swedish Academy judged. The annual award is given to a writer who, according to the terms of Alfred Nobel's will, "shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction." There is no application process.
Nobel Foundation, P.O. Box 5232, SE-102 45 Stockholm, Sweden.
nobelprize.org
Noemi Press
Book Awards
Jessica Rae Bergamino of Salt Lake City won the 2017 Noemi Press Book Award for Poetry for her collection Unmanned. Kate Colby of Providence won the Noemi Press Book Award for Prose for her essay collection The Itch. They each received $1,000, and their books will be published by Noemi Press. The editors judged. The annual awards are given for a poetry collection and a book of prose. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Noemi Press, Book Awards, 323 Shanks Hall 0112, 181 Turner Street NW, Blacksburg, VA 24061 88003. Carmen Giménez Smith, Publisher.
noemipressbooks@gmail.com
www.noemipress.org/contest
Ohioana Library Association
Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant
Ashley Bethard of Dayton won the 2017 Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. She received $1,000, and her essay "Of Blood" was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Ohioana Quarterly. The annual award is given to a fiction or creative nonfiction writer age 30 or under who has not published a book and is an Ohio native or resident of at least five years. (See Deadlines.)
Ohioana Library Association, Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant, 274 East First Avenue, Suite 300, Columbus, OH 43201. (614) 466-3831. David Weaver, Executive Director.
ohioana@ohioana.org
www.ohioana.org/programs/ohioana-book-awards
Omnidawn Publishing
Poetry Chapbook Prize
Steve Dickison of San Francisco won a 2017 Omnidawn Poetry Chapbook Prize for his manuscript "Zora Neale Hurston's Liberation Music Orchestra." He received $1,000, publication of his manuscript by Omnidawn Publishing in Fall 2018, and 100 author copies. Tyrone Williams judged. The annual award is given for a poetry chapbook. The next deadline is April 23.
Omnidawn Publishing, Poetry Chapbook Prize, 1632 Elm Avenue, Richmond, CA 94805. (510) 237-5472. Rusty Morrison and Ken Keegan, Coeditors.
submissions@omnidawn.com
omnidawn.com/contest/poetry-contests.htm
Ploughshares
Emerging Writer's Contest
Andrew Eaton of Belfast won the 2017 Emerging Writer’s Contest in poetry for a group of poems. Rowan Beaird of Chicago won the 2017 Emerging Writer’s Contest in fiction for her story “Perennial.” Ellen Adams of Seattle won the 2017 Emerging Writer’s Contest in nonfiction for her essay “The Something I Am Telling You.” They each received $2,000, and their winning works were published in the Winter 2017–2018 issue of Ploughshares. Natalie Diaz judged in poetry, Garth Greenwell judged in fiction, and Meghan Daum judged in nonfiction. The annual awards are given for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. The next deadline is May 15.
Ploughshares, Emerging Writer's Contest, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. (617) 824-3757. Ellen Duffer, Managing Editor.
pshares@pshares.org
www.pshares.org
Poetry Society of America
Chapbook Fellowships
zakia henderson-brown of New York City and Esther Lin of Palo Alto, California, won the 2017 Chapbook Fellowships. henderson-brown won for her chapbook What Kind of Omen Am I, chosen by Cate Marvin; Lin won for her chapbook The Ghost Wife, chosen by Patrick Rosal. Nicholas Goodly of New York City and Emily Hunerwadel of Amherst, Massachusetts, won the 2017 Chapbook Fellowships 30 and Under. Goodly won for his chapbook Black Swim, chosen by Brenda Shaughnessy; Hunerwadel won for her chapbook Professional Crybaby, chosen by Kyle Dargan. The winners each received $1,000, and their winning chapbooks will be published by the Poetry Society of America in 2018. The Chapbook Fellowships are given annually to two poets for chapbook-length poetry collections; the Chapbook Fellowships 30 and Under are given annually to two poets ages 30 and under for chapbook-length poetry collections. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Poetry Society of America, Chapbook Fellowships, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY 10003. (212) 254-9628.
www.poetrysociety.org
Princess of Asturias Foundation
Award for Literature
Poet, fiction writer, and nonfiction writer Adam Zagajewski of Kraków, Poland, won the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Literature. Zagajewski, whose most recent book is the poetry collection Unseen Hand (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011), received €50,000 (approximately $59,000). A jury appointed by the Princess of Asturias Foundation judged. The annual award is given to a writer “whose literary work represents an outstanding contribution to universal literature.” There is no application process.
Princess of Asturias Foundation, c/o General Yagüe, 2, 33004 Oviedo, Principality of Asturias, Spain.
www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards
Rattle
Poetry Prize
Rayon Lennon of New Haven, Connecticut, won the 2017 Rattle Poetry Prize for his poem "Heard." He received $10,000 and publication of his poem in Issue 58 of Rattle. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poem. The next deadline is July 15.
Rattle, Poetry Prize, 12411 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604.
(818) 505-6777. Timothy Green, Editor.
tim@rattle.com
www.rattle.com
Red Mountain Press
Poetry Prize
Lisa Rosenberg of San Mateo, California, won the 2017 Poetry Prize for her collection A Different Physics. She received $1,000, and her collection will be published by Red Mountain Press in Summer 2018. Irena Praitis judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is September 15.
Red Mountain Press, Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 32205, Santa Fe, NM 87594.
redmtnpress@gmail.com
www.redmountainpress.us
River Styx
International Poetry Contest
Bruce Bond of Denton, Texas, won the 2017 River Styx International Poetry Contest for his poem "The Gallery of Inanimate Objects." He received $1,500, and his poem was published in River Styx. Carl Phillips judged. The annual award is given for a single poem. The next deadline is April 30.
River Styx, International Poetry Contest, 3139A South Grand Boulevard, Suite 203, St. Louis, MO 63118. Christina Chady, Managing Editor. christina.
chady@riverstyx.org
www.riverstyx.org/submit/poetry-contest
Ruminate
Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize
Maggie Bailey of Atlanta won the 2017 Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize for her poem "Elizabeth Asks." She received $1,500 and publication of her poem in Ruminate. Shane McCrae judged. The annual award is given for a poem. The next deadline is May 15.
Vandermey Nonfiction Prize
Sonja Livingston of Rochester, New York, won the 2017 VanderMey Nonfiction Prize for her essay "Like This, We Begin: An Essay in Two Photographs." She received $1,500 and publication of her essay in Issue 43 of Ruminate. Josh MacIvor-Andersen judged. The annual award is given for a work of creative nonfiction. The next deadline is November 15.
Ruminate, 1041 North Taft Hill Road, Ft. Collins, CO 80521. Brianna Van Dyke, Editor in Chief.
editor@ruminatemagazine.org
www.ruminatemagazine.org
Salamander
Fiction Prize
Cady Vishniac of Ann Arbor, Michigan, won the 2017 Salamander Fiction Prize for her short story "Girls Girls Girls." She received $1,000, and her story will be published in Salamander. Christopher Castellani judged. The annual award is given for a short story. The next deadline is June 1.
Salamander, Fiction Prize, Suffolk University, English Department, 8 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108. Katie Sticca, Managing Editor.
www.salamandermag.org/contests
Southern Humanities Review
Auburn Witness Poetry Prize
Laura Sobbott Ross of Mount Dora, Florida, won the 2017 Auburn Witness Poetry Prize for her poem "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages." She received $1,000, publication in Southern Humanities Review, and travel expenses to read with contest judge Naomi Shihab Nye at Auburn University. The annual award is given for a poem of witness in honor of the late poet Jake Adam York. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Southern Humanities Review, Auburn Witness Poetry Prize, Auburn University, 9088 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36849. (334) 844-9088.
shr@auburn.edu
www.southernhumanitiesreview.com
Southern Illinois University
Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards
Brian Fanelli of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, won the 2017 Devil's Kitchen Reading Award in poetry for his collection Waiting for the Dead to Speak (NYQ Books). Alexander Weinstein of Ann Arbor, Michigan, won the award in fiction for his short story collection Children of the New World (Picador). Donna Kaz of New York City won the award in nonfiction for her memoir Un/Masked: Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl on Tour (Skyhorse Publishing). They each received $1,000 and an invitation to read at the 2017 Devil's Kitchen Fall Literary Festival at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The annual awards are given for two poetry collections, two novels or collections of short fiction, and a book of creative nonfiction published in the previous year.
(See Deadlines.)
Southern Illinois University, Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards, English Department, Mail Code 4503, 1000 Faner Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901. Jon Tribble, Awards Coordinator.
www.grassroots.siuc.edu/dkawards.html
Southern Indiana Review
Michael Waters Poetry Prize
Marty McConnell of Chicago won the 2017 Michael Waters Poetry Prize for her poetry collection when they say you can't go home again, what they mean is you were never there. She received $3,000, and her collection will be published in Fall 2018 by Southern Indiana Review Press. Michael Waters judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. (See Deadlines.)
Southern Indiana Review, Michael Waters Poetry Prize, University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712. (812) 464-1784. Ron Mitchell, Editor.
sir.contest@usi.edu
www.usi.edu/sir/awards-contests
Stadler Center for Poetry
Philip Roth Residencies
Fiction and nonfiction writers Ngwah-Mbo Nkweti of New York City and Meghan Lamb of Saint Louis won the 2017–2018 Philip Roth Residencies in Creative Writing. They each received $5,000 and a four-month residency at the Stadler Center for Poetry at Bucknell University. The annual residencies are given to poets, fiction writers, or creative nonfiction writers.
(See Deadlines.)
Stadler Center for Poetry, Philip Roth Residencies, Bucknell University, Bucknell Hall, Lewisburg, PA 17837. Andrew Ciotola, Program Manager.
ciotola@bucknell.edu
www.bucknell.edu/rothresidence
Tampa Review
Poetry Prize
Eric Smith of Carrboro, North Carolina, won the 16th annual Tampa Review Prize for Poetry for his poetry collection, Black Hole Factory. He received $2,000, and his book will be published by University of Tampa Press. The editors judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is December 31.
Tampa Review, Poetry Prize, University of Tampa Press, 401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606.
(813) 253-6266.
www.ut.edu/tampareview
University of Notre Dame Press
Sandeen and Sullivan Prizes
Robert Gibb of Homestead, Pennsylvania, won the 2017 Ernest Sandeen Prize in Poetry for his poetry collection Among Ruins. Kellie Wells of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, won the Richard Sullivan Prize in Short Fiction for her story collection God, the Moon, and Other Megafauna. They each received $1,000, and their books will be published by University of Notre Dame Press. Joyelle McSweeney and Orlando Ricardo Menes judged in poetry; and William O'Rourke and Valerie Sayers judged in fiction. The biennial awards are given for a book of poetry and a book of short fiction by writers who have published at least one collection. The next deadline for the Sullivan Prize is September 1, 2019; the next deadline for the Sandeen prize is September 1, 2020.
University of Notre Dame Press, Sandeen and Sullivan Prizes, University of Notre Dame, English Department, 356 O'Shaughnessy Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556. (574) 631-7526. Coleen Hoover, Program Coordinator.
hoover.14@nd.edu
english.nd.edu/creative-writing/publications/sandeen-sullivan-prizes
University of Rochester
Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize
Elizabeth Poliner of Roanoke, Virginia, won the 41st annual Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for her novel As Close to Us As Breathing (Lee Boudreaux Books, 2016). She received $7,500. Beth Jörgensen, Katherine Mannheimer, and Jason Peck judged. The annual award is given for a book of fiction published during the previous year by a woman who is a U.S. citizen. (See Deadlines.)
University of Rochester, Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender and Women's Studies, 538 Lattimore Hall, RC Box 270434, Rochester, NY 14627.
www.sas.rochester.edu/gsw/news-events/kafka-prize/index.html
University of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellowships
Five writers received the 2017–2018 Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellowships in Poetry and Fiction. Oliver Baez Bendorf of Washington, D.C., received the Halls Emerging Artist Fellowship in Poetry; Leila Chatti of Provincetown, Massachusetts, received the Ron Wallace Poetry Fellowship; Tia Clark of Los Angeles received the Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellowship; Tiana Clark of Nashville received the Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellowship; and Marta Evans of Austin, Texas, received the James C. McCreight Fiction Fellowship. Each fellow receives a stipend of $38,000 plus benefits, and teaches one creative writing workshop at the University of Wisconsin each semester and gives one public reading. The nine-month fellowships provide time, space, and an intellectual community for poets and fiction writers working on a first or second book. Applicants must hold an MFA or PhD in creative writing and must have published no more than one book. (See Deadlines.)
University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellowships, English Department, 6195C Helen C. White Hall, 600 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706. Sean Bishop, Contact.
institutemail@english.wisc.edu
www.creativewriting.wisc.edu/fellowships.html
Virginia Commonwealth University
Levis Reading Prize
Solmaz Sharif of Oakland won the 20th annual Levis Reading Prize for her poetry collection, Look (Graywolf Press, 2016). She received $5,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to give a reading at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The annual award is given to honor a first or second book of poetry published during the previous year. (See Deadlines.)
Virginia Commonwealth University, Levis Reading Prize, English Department, 900 Park Avenue, Hibbs Hall, Room 306, P.O. Box 842005, Richmond, VA 23284. Emily Block, Contact.
blocke2@mymail.vcu.edu
english.vcu.edu/mfa/levis-reading-prize
Whiting Foundation
Creative Nonfiction Grants
Michael Brenson of Accord, New York; Philip Gourevitch and George Packer, both of New York City; Pacifique Irankunda of Williamstown, Massachusetts; Seth Kantner of Kotzebue, Alaska; Jay Kirk of Philadelphia; Meghan O'Rourke of New York City and Marfa, Texas; and Julie Phillips of Amsterdam won 2017 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grants. They each received $40,000. The annual awards are given to up to eight writers in the process of completing a book of nonfiction. As of this writing, the next deadline has not been set.
Whiting Foundation, Creative Nonfiction Grants, 16 Court Street, Suite 2308, Brooklyn, NY 11241. (718) 701-5962.
info@whiting.org
www.whiting.org/awards/creative-nonfiction-grant
White Pine Press
Poetry Prize
Shaindel Beers of Pendleton, Oregon, won the 2017 White Pine Press Poetry Prize for her collection, Secure Your Own Mask. She received $1,000, and her book will be published by White Pine Press in Fall 2018. Alan Michael Parker judged. The annual award is given for a poetry collection. The next deadline is November 30.
White Pine Press, Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 236, Buffalo, NY 14201.
www.whitepine.org
Winning Writers
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay Contest
Joan Corwin of Evanston, Illinois, and Debbie Weingarten of Tucson, Arizona, won the 25th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay Contest. Corwin won in fiction for her story "Length of Days"; Weingarten won in nonfiction for her essay "The Mule Deer." They each received $1,500 and publication on the Winning Writers website. Judy Juanita judged. The annual awards are given for a short story and an essay. The next deadline is April 30.
Winning Writers, Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060. Adam Cohen, Contest Administrator.
adam@winningwriters.com
www.winningwriters.com/tomstory