Aspen Words Literary Prize
The Aspen Words Literary Prize honors outstanding fiction that addresses vital contemporary issues and demonstrates literature’s power to inspire social change.
Funder: Aspen Institute
Due Dates: August 4, 2025 | August 3, 2026
Funding Amounts: $35,000 annual award to a single work of fiction; publishers pay $105 entry fee per title
Summary: Recognizes a work of fiction that illuminates vital contemporary issues and demonstrates literature's transformative power.
Key Information: Only publishers may submit; up to 4 titles per imprint; books must be published by a U.S. trade publisher in the eligibility year.
Description
The Aspen Words Literary Prize is a major annual award of $35,000 presented by the Aspen Institute to a work of fiction—either a novel or a collection of short stories—that addresses vital contemporary issues and demonstrates the power of literature to influence thought and culture. The prize emphasizes fiction’s ability to engage with pressing social topics, including but not limited to gender, environment, violence, inequality, justice, religion, and race. Open to authors of any nationality, it is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States focused exclusively on fiction with social impact.
