Barry Ronge Fiction Prize

ばりー・ろんじ・ふぃくしょんしょう

South African fiction award hosted by The Sunday Times. The winner receives R100,000.

FictionNovelSouth African literature

Established: 2001
Organizer: The Sunday Times (South Africa), sponsored by CNA
Category: General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Selection Method: Open call
Target: Open
Frequency: 1 per year
Announcement Period: around June–November
Status: Active

Description

Fiction prize established in 2001 by The Sunday Times (initially Sunday Times Fiction Prize). Renamed Barry Ronge Fiction Prize in 2015 in memory of Barry Ronge, targeting long fiction. Hosted by The Sunday Times, with CNA as sponsor from 2021. Canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 but resumed in 2021. The winner is awarded a cash prize (R100,000).

Prize

Main Prize: R100,000 (South African Rand) to the winner
Cash Prize: 100,000 ZAR

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Entry submission	Submissions via publishers or designated portals (details announced by organizer)	—	Accepted according to entry requirements.
Longlist (first round)	Selection committee (The Sunday Times editorial team and invited judges)	—	Often published in The Sunday Times newspaper or official announcements.
Shortlist (second round)	Selection committee	—	Shortlist announced in newspaper and online.
Final selection (winner determination)	Determined by deliberation of the judging panel	—	Winners announced in The Sunday Times and related media.

Entry submission

Judges Submissions via publishers or designated portals (details announced by organizer)

Announcement Accepted according to entry requirements.

Longlist (first round)

Judges Selection committee (The Sunday Times editorial team and invited judges)

Announcement Often published in The Sunday Times newspaper or official announcements.

Shortlist (second round)

Judges Selection committee

Announcement Shortlist announced in newspaper and online.

Final selection (winner determination)

Judges Determined by deliberation of the judging panel

Announcement Winners announced in The Sunday Times and related media.

Criteria

Fiction: "rare imagination and style... a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction." (Emphasizes rare imagination and style, compelling stories that become enduring landmarks of contemporary fiction.)
Nonfiction (Alan Paton Award): "the illumination of truthfulness... demonstrating compassion, elegance of writing, and intellectual and moral integrity." (Presentation of truthfulness, compassion, elegance of writing, intellectual and moral integrity.)
Originality of the work, literary quality, importance as contemporary literature, etc., are evaluated.

Application Tips

Dos

Check entry requirements (publishing period, submission method, required documents) in advance
Prepare and submit in the format of a complete novel (proofread and edited)
Submit formally through publisher or designated portal within the deadline
Refer to past winners and shortlists, focusing on originality and strength of style

Don''ts

Do not submit after the deadline
Do not submit in formats violating rules or with incomplete manuscripts
Do not send unproofread drafts

From Judges

Fiction: "rare imagination and style... a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction." (Rare imagination and style, enduringly valuable stories are required)
Nonfiction (Alan Paton Award) criteria: "the illumination of truthfulness... demonstrating compassion, elegance of writing, and intellectual and moral integrity."