Somerset Maugham Award
Somerset Maugham Award
British literary prize awarded annually by the Society of Authors to writers under 35 for works published in the previous year (fiction, non-fiction or poetry).
Literary awardBritishyoung writersFictionNonfictionPoetry
- Established
- 1947
- Organizer
- Society of Authors
- Category
- Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
- Selection Method
- Selection
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around June
- Status
- Active
Description
Established in 1947. Founded by W. Somerset Maugham to enable young writers to enrich their creative activities through overseas experiences. Targets writers under 35, for works (novels, non-fiction, poetry, etc.) published in the previous year to the award year. Some years have multiple winners, and the prize amount varies by year.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Cash award to young writers intended to support travel/experience abroad; amount varies by year.
- recognition
- support for travel/creative development
- amount varies by year and may be split among multiple winners
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility screening | Society of Authors (screening by the secretariat) | — | Internal confirmation (no public announcement) |
| Shortlisting | Judging panel (appointed by Society of Authors) | — | Shortlist may be announced on website or press |
| Final selection | Final judging panel (may include writers, critics, etc.) | — | Winners are announced on Society of Authors website and press releases |
Eligibility screening
Judges
Society of Authors (screening by the secretariat)
Announcement
Internal confirmation (no public announcement)
Shortlisting
Judges
Judging panel (appointed by Society of Authors)
Announcement
Shortlist may be announced on website or press
Final selection
Judges
Final judging panel (may include writers, critics, etc.)
Announcement
Winners are announced on Society of Authors website and press releases
Criteria
- Must be under 35 at the time of award (age restriction)
- Target works must have been published in the previous year to the award year
- Novels, non-fiction, poetry all eligible
- Literary quality and potential (quality of writing, originality)
- Potential for the award to contribute to writer's overseas experiences or creative activities
Application Tips
Dos
- Confirm age restriction (under 35 at time of award) in advance
- Confirm target work was published in previous year to award year
- Clarify metadata such as publisher info and publication date
- Demonstrate literary quality and originality of the work
Don''ts
- Applications not meeting age restriction (false declarations)
- Applications for unpublished manuscripts or ineligible works
- Submitting with incomplete application requirements or publisher info
From Judges
- Primarily evaluates the work's quality (style, structure, originality)
- Award supports young writers' creative activities and overseas experiences, so convey that
- Formal requirements like age and publication year strictly checked
Related Awards
- Society of Authors awards (other SOA awards)
- Betty Trask Award
- Branford Boase Award
- Forward Prizes for Poetry
- Other literary awards and fellowships for young writers
Official Resources
https://societyofauthors.org/prizes/the-soa-awards/somerset-maugham-awards/Past Winners
Iona Lee
Winner
Ben Brooks
Winner
Zoe Pilger
Winner
Jonathan Beckman
Winner
Amy Sackville
Winner
Ned Beauman
Winner
Rachel Cusk
Winner
Rhidian Brook
Winner
Clive Sinclair
Winner
A. N. Wilson
Winner
Julian Barnes
Winner
Helen Hodgman
Winner
Tom Paulin
Winner
Richard Holmes
Winner