The Story Prize

すとーりーしょう

Annual American literary award for outstanding short story collections, established in 2004.

Short fictionShort story collectionLiterary awardAmerican literary award

Established: 2004
Organizer: The Story Prize (founder: Julie Lindsey; director: Larry Dark)
Category: General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Selection Method: Open call
Target: Open
Frequency: 1 per year
Announcement Period: around March
Status: Active

Description

The Story Prize is an annual book award (established 2004) honoring the author of an outstanding collection of short fiction. The winner receives $20,000 and an engraved silver bowl; two runners-up receive $5,000 each. Eligible books must be written in English and first published in the United States during a calendar year. Three finalists are typically announced in January and participate in an award event (readings and an on-stage discussion) around March, when the winner is announced. The prize was founded by Julie Lindsey and is directed by Larry Dark. From 2006 to 2020 the event was held at the New School in New York City; in 2021 it was recorded via Zoom and has since been held at the Lotos Club.

Prize

Main Prize: Winner receives $20,000; two runners-up receive $5,000 each; winner also receives an engraved silver bowl.
Cash Prize: 20,000 USD

Two runners-up: $5,000 each
Engraved silver bowl awarded to the winner
The Story Prize Spotlight Award: $1,000 (selected by the Director from among entrants)

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Submission / Eligibility	Submissions accepted from publishers, authors, or agents; eligibility screening by The Story Prize staff/selection committee. Eligible books must be written in English and first published in the U.S. during the calendar year; author must be living.	—	Submissions are reviewed by the prize organizers; specific submission deadlines not stated in the source (eligibility tied to U.S. publication within the calendar year).
Shortlist / Finalists	Selection by Director Larry Dark and The Story Prize selection committee (unnamed).	Three finalists are selected (three finalists announced in January).	Finalists are publicly announced in January.
Award event & Winner announcement	Finalists participate in readings and an on-stage discussion with Larry Dark; the winner is announced onstage by founder Julie Lindsey.	One winner chosen from three finalists (≈33% among finalists); overall pass rate varies with number of submissions.	Winner is announced at the award event (typically in March) and via press/official channels.
The Story Prize Spotlight Award selection	Selected by the Director of The Story Prize (Larry Dark) from among all entrants.	—	Spotlight Award winner ($1,000) is announced separately (typically around finalist announcements).

Submission / Eligibility

Judges Submissions accepted from publishers, authors, or agents; eligibility screening by The Story Prize staff/selection committee. Eligible books must be written in English and first published in the U.S. during the calendar year; author must be living.

Announcement Submissions are reviewed by the prize organizers; specific submission deadlines not stated in the source (eligibility tied to U.S. publication within the calendar year).

Shortlist / Finalists

Judges Selection by Director Larry Dark and The Story Prize selection committee (unnamed).

Pass Rate Three finalists are selected (three finalists announced in January).

Announcement Finalists are publicly announced in January.

Award event & Winner announcement

Judges Finalists participate in readings and an on-stage discussion with Larry Dark; the winner is announced onstage by founder Julie Lindsey.

Pass Rate One winner chosen from three finalists (≈33% among finalists); overall pass rate varies with number of submissions.

Announcement Winner is announced at the award event (typically in March) and via press/official channels.

The Story Prize Spotlight Award selection

Judges Selected by the Director of The Story Prize (Larry Dark) from among all entrants.

Announcement Spotlight Award winner ($1,000) is announced separately (typically around finalist announcements).

Criteria

Literary excellence in short fiction
Originality of voice and perspective
Cohesion and overall strength of the collection
Quality of craft (style, characterization, narrative control)
Eligibility: written in English and first published in the U.S. during the calendar year
Author must be living

Application Tips

Dos

Confirm eligibility: book must be a short story collection written in English and first published in the U.S. during the calendar year.
Submit via publisher, author, or agent as permitted by the prize rules.
Follow the official submission guidelines on the Story Prize website (format, copies, metadata).
Provide clear publication details (U.S. publication date) and author information.
Highlight the cohesion and strengths of the collection (voice, theme, craft) in any supporting materials.

Don''ts

Do not submit works not written in English.
Do not submit books first published outside the United States or outside the eligible calendar year.
Do not submit works by deceased authors (author must be living).
Avoid submitting incomplete or incorrectly documented entries that do not include required publication information.

From Judges

Focus on the overall strength and cohesion of the collection, not just individual standout stories.
Original voice, distinctive perspective, and mastery of craft are highly valued.
Ensure the U.S. publication date and edition information are clear and verifiable.
Presentation matters: provide accurate author bios and correct metadata to help the selection committee.