Aspen Words Literary Prize
Forecasted
The Aspen Words Literary Prize from the Aspen Institute honors a novel or story collection that illuminates vital contemporary issues and demonstrates literature’s power to inspire change.
Funder: Aspen Institute
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2027 (Nomination deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: $35,000 annual award to a single work of fiction; award is given once per year.
Summary: Annual prize for a novel or short story collection published by a U.S. trade publisher that illuminates vital contemporary issues and demonstrates literature’s transformative power.
Key Information: Submissions must be made by publishers (not authors); maximum 4 entries per publisher.
Description
The Aspen Words Literary Prize is one of the largest U.S. literary awards for fiction, offering $35,000 annually to a work that addresses vital contemporary issues. The prize recognizes novels or short story collections published in English by U.S. trade publishers that illuminate topics such as violence, inequality, gender, the environment, immigration, religion, or race. The award aims to highlight fiction’s unique role in inspiring meaningful conversations and societal change.
