The BBC National Short Story Award (previously known as the National Short Story Award, 2006-2007) has been described as 'the most prestigious [award] for a single short story'[1] and the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[2] It is an annual short story contest in the United Kingdom which is open to UK residents and nationals.[3][4] The award aims to increase interest in the short story genre, particularly British short stories.[4] Each year, the winners receives £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each.[1]
BBC National Short Story Award | |
---|---|
Awarded for | Best short story by a UK national or resident |
Sponsored by | BBC Radio 4 with Cambridge University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Presented by | BBC (formerly National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) |
Formerly called | National Short Story Award (2006–2007) |
First awarded | 2006 |
Currently held by | Comorbidities, Naomi Wood (2023) |
Website | BBC National Short Story Award |
Television/radio coverage | |
Network | BBC Radio 4 |
It was founded in 2005 and announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival the same year.[5] The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) were the main sponsor with support from BBC Radio 4 and Prospect magazine.[3] Originally, winners received £15,000 while runners up received £3,000 and shortlisted writers £500 each.[5][2] In 2008, the BBC became the main sponsor and the award was renamed from the 'National Short Story Award' to the 'BBC National Short Story Award'.[3]
The BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist.[6] In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist.[7] This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018.[8][9] Canadian writer D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011.[10][11] Sarah Hall, who won the award in 2013 and 2020, is the only writer to have won the award twice.[12]
In 2012, in honour of the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London, the competition was open to a global audience for one year only.[13] Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer Miroslav Penkov won.[14]
Winners and shortlisted writers edit
2000s edit
Year | Author | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | James Lasdun | An Anxious Man | Winner | [4] |
Michel Faber | The Safehouse | Runner up | [4] | |
Rose Tremain | The Ebony Hand | Shortlist | [4] | |
William Trevor | Men of Ireland | Shortlist | [4] | |
Rana Dasgupta | The Flyover | Shortlist | [4] | |
2007 | Julian Gough | The Orphan and the Mob | Winner | [3] |
David Almond | Slog's Dad | Runner up | [3] | |
Jonathan Falla | The Morena | Shortlist | [3] | |
Jackie Kay | How to Get Away with Suicide | Shortlist | [3] | |
Hanif Kureishi | Weddings and Beheadings | Shortlist | [3] | |
2008 | Clare Wigfall | The Numbers | Winner | [2][3] |
Jane Gardam | The People on Priviledge Hill | Runner up | [3] | |
Adam Thorpe | The Names | Shortlist | [3] | |
Erin Soros | Surge | Shortlist | [3] | |
Richard Beard | Guidelines for Measures to Cope with Disgraceful and Other Events | Shortlist | [3] | |
2009 | Kate Clanchy | The Not-Dead and the Saved | Winner | [15] |
Sara Maitland | Moss Witch | Runner up | [15] | |
Jane Rogers | Hitting Trees With Sticks | Shortlist | [15] | |
Lionel Shriver | Exchange Rates | Shortlist | [15] | |
Naomi Alderman | Other People's Gods | Shortlist | [15] |
2010s edit
Year | Author | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | David Constantine | Tea at the Midland | Winner | [16][3] |
Jon McGregor | If it Keeps on Raining | Runner up | [16][3] | |
Helen Oyeyemi | My Daughter the Racist | Shortlist | [3] | |
Sarah Hall | Butcher's Perfume | Shortlist | [3] | |
Aminatta Forna | Haywards Heath | Shortlist | [3] | |
2011 | D.W. Wilson[a] | The Dead Roads | Winner | [17][18] |
Jon McGregor | Wires | Runner up | [18] | |
K.J. Orr | The Human Circadian Pacemaker | Shortlist | [18] | |
M.J. Hyland | Rag Love | Shortlist | [18] | |
Alison MacLeod | The Heart of Denis Noble | Shortlist | [18] | |
2012 | Miroslav Penkov | East of the West | Winner | [19][20] |
Henrietta Rose-Innes | Sanctuary | Runner up | [19][20] | |
Julian Gough | The iHole | Shortlist | [20] | |
Carrie Tiffany | Before He Left the Family | Shortlist | [20] | |
Chris Womersley | In the Basement | Shortlist | [20] | |
Adam Ross | A Lovely and Terrible Thing | Shortlist | [20] | |
Deborah Levy | Black Vodka | Shortlist | [20] | |
M.J. Hyland | Even Pretty Eyes Commit Crimes | Shortlist | [20] | |
Lucy Caldwell | The Goose Father | Shortlist | [20] | |
Krys Lee | Escape Routes | Shortlist | [20] | |
2013 | Sarah Hall | Mrs Fox | Winner | [21][22] |
Lucy Wood | Notes from the House Spirits | Runner up | [21][22] | |
Lavinia Greenlaw | We Are Watching Something Terrible Happening | Shortlist | [23] | |
Lionel Shriver | Prepositions | Shortlist | [23] | |
Lisa Blower | Barmouth | Shortlist | [23] | |
2014 | Lionel Shriver | Kilifi Creek | Winner | [24][25] |
Zadie Smith | Miss Adele Amidst the Corsets | Runner up | [24][25] | |
Francesca Rhydderch | The Taxidermist's Daughter | Shortlist | [25] | |
Rose Tremain | The American Lover | Shortlist | [25] | |
Tessa Hadley | Bad Dreams | Shortlist | [25] | |
2015 | Jonathan Buckley | Briar Road | Winner | [26][3] |
Mark Haddon | Bunny | Runner up | [3][27] | |
Hilary Mantel | The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher | Shortlist | [27] | |
Jeremy Page | Do It Now, Jump the Table | Shortlist | [27] | |
Frances Leviston | Broderie Anglaise | Shortlist | [27] | |
2016 | K.J. Orr | Disappearances | Winner | [28][29] |
Claire-Louise Bennett | Morning, Noon & Night | Runner up | [28][29] | |
Lavinia Greenlaw | The Darkest Place in England | Shortlist | [29] | |
Tahmima Anam | Garments | Shortlist | [29] | |
Hilary Mantel | In a Right State | Shortlist | [29] | |
2017 | Cynan Jones | The Edge of the Shoal | Winner | [30][31] |
Jenni Fagan | The Waken | Shortlist | [31] | |
Will Eaves | Murmur | Shortlist | [31] | |
Helen Oyeyemi | If a book is locked there's probably a good reason for that, don't you think? | Shortlist | [31] | |
Benjamin Markovits | The Collector | Shortlist | [31] | |
2018 | Ingrid Persaud | The Sweet Sop | Winner | [32][6] |
Nell Stevens | The Minutes | Shortlist | [6] | |
Kiare Ladner | Van Rensburg's Card | Shortlist | [6] | |
Sarah Hall | Sudden Traveller | Shortlist | [6] | |
Kerry Andrew | To Belong To | Shortlist | [6] | |
2019 | Jo Lloyd | The Invisible | Winner | [33] |
Lynda Clark | Ghillie's Mum | Shortlist | [33] | |
Tamsin Grey | My Beautiful Millennial | Shortlist | [33] | |
Lucy Caldwell | The Children | Shortlist | [33] | |
Jacqueline Crooks | Silver Fish in the Midnight Sea | Shortlist | [33] |
2020s edit
Year | Author | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Sarah Hall[b] | The Grotesques | Winner | [34][35] |
Eley Williams | Scrimshaw | Shortlist | [35] | |
Jack Houston | Come Down Heavy | Shortlist | [35] | |
Jan Carson | In the Car With the Rain Coming Down | Shortlist | [35] | |
Caleb Azumah Nelson | Pray | Shortlist | [35] | |
2021 | Lucy Caldwell | All the People Were Mean and Bad | Winner | [36][37] |
Danny Rhodes | Toadstone | Shortlist | [37] | |
Rory Gleeson | The Body Audit | Shortlist | [37] | |
Georgina Harding | Night Train | Shortlist | [37] | |
Richard Smyth | Maykopsky District, Adyghe Oblast | Shortlist | [37] | |
2022 | Saba Sams | Blue 4eva | Winner | [38] |
Kerry Andrew | And the moon descends on the temple that was | Shortlist | [38] | |
Jenn Ashworth | Flat 19 | Shortlist | [38] | |
Vanessa Onwuemezi | Green Afternoon | Shortlist | [38] | |
Anna Bailey | Long Way to Come for a Sip of Water | Shortlist | [38] | |
2023 | Naomi Wood | Comorbidities | Winner | [39] |
Cherise Saywell | Guests | Shortlist | [39] | |
K Patrick | It's Me | Shortlist | [39] | |
Nick Mulgrew | The Storm | Shortlist | [39] | |
Kamila Shamsie | Churail | Shortlist | [39] | |
2024 | To be announced 12 September 2024[40] | Shortlist |
Notes edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Lucy Caldwell wins 16th BBC National Short Story Award". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ a b c Richard Lea (4 July 2008). "Field narrows in race for richest story award". The Guardian. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - The 2016 Award". BBC. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g Ezard, John (4 April 2006). "Richest short story competition draws huge entry". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ a b Edemariam, Aida (2005-08-24). "Keep it brief". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ a b c d e f Flood, Alison (2018-09-14). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2009-11-27). "All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Bury, Liz (2013-09-20). "All-woman shortlist for BBC short story award 2013". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2018-09-14). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ "DW Wilson is youngest winner of BBC Short Story prize". BBC News. 2011-09-26. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Macdonald, Fleur (2011-09-28). "Youngest-ever winner of the National BBC Short Story Award". The Spectator. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2020-10-06). "'Master' of short story Sarah Hall becomes first to win BBC prize twice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ Alison Flood (September 14, 2012). "Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
- ^ "BBC short story prize to go global for Olympic year". BBC News. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2009-11-27). "All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ a b Page, Benedicte (2010-11-29). "National Short Story award goes to David Constantine". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ Rosemary Westwood (2012-09-06). "D.W. Wilson: The Canadian who grabbed the Brit lit prize". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
- ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2011-09-09). "BBC National Short Story award pits award-winning writers against students". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ a b Alison Flood (3 October 2012). "Miroslav Penkov wins BBC international short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Flood, Alison (2012-09-14). "Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ a b Liz Bury (8 October 2013). "Sarah Hall's tale of woman who turns into a fox wins BBC short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ^ a b "Sarah Hall wins the BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. 8 October 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ^ a b c "All female shortlist for the BBC National Short Story Award 2013". The Telegraph. 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b "Lionel Shriver wins BBC National Short Story Award". BBC News. September 30, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - The BBC National Short Story Award Shortlist 2014". BBC. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ "Jonathan Buckley wins BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Flood, Alison (2015-09-16). "Hilary Mantel's The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher makes shortlist for BBC short story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b "Debut writer KJ Orr beats Hilary Mantel to short story prize". BBC News. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2016-09-16). "Debut authors make BBC national short story award shortlist". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Flood, Alison (3 October 2017). "BBC national short story award goes to Cynan Jones". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "The BBC National Short Story Award Shortlist". Granta. 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "Ingrid Persaud wins BBC short story award". BBC News. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Welsh writer Jo Lloyd wins BBC Short Story prize". BBC. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ "Sarah Hall becomes first writer to win BBC National Short Story Award twice". BBC National Short Story Award. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Fifteenth BBC National Short Story Award shortlist revealed". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Flood, Alison (19 October 2021). "Lucy Caldwell wins BBC national short story award for 'masterful' tale". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "BBC National Short Story Award 2021 shortlist revealed". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2021-09-10. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b c d e Shaffi, Sarah (4 October 2022). "Saba Sams wins BBC national short story award for 'transportive' tale". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Creamer, Ella; Wood, Naomi (26 September 2023). "Bestselling author Naomi Wood wins 2023 BBC national short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2023. Includes full text of story
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - 2024 BBC Short Story Awards open". BBC. Retrieved 2024-04-28.