William Saroyan International Prize for Writing

Nominations are now being accepted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Two prizes of $5,000 each are given biennially for works of fiction and nonfiction. Cosponsored by the Stanford University Libraries and the William Saroyan Foundation, the awards are intended to “encourage new or emerging writers and honor the Saroyan legacy of originality, vitality, and stylistic innovation.”

The Stanford University Libraries and the William Saroyan Foundation jointly award the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, a biennial competition for newly-published books.

The prize commemorates the life, legacy and intentions of William Saroyan – author, artist, dramatist, composer – and is intended to encourage new or emerging writers, rather than to recognize established literary figures.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2014 Prize and must be received by January 31, 2014. Please view the FAQ page for further information.

Funding sponsored in part by Stanford Associates.

Terms and conditions

The following provisions govern the 2014 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing awarded by Stanford University Libraries.

  1. The Saroyan Prize Committee will be appointed by the Stanford University Librarian in consultation with the President of the Saroyan Foundation, and will be responsible for all aspects of the administration of the Saroyan Prize.
  2. The Stanford University Librarian in consultation with the President of the Saroyan Foundation, will appoint a team of no fewer than three Nominating Jurors for each Saroyan Prize to be awarded.
  3. Two prizes of $5,000 will be awarded, one each in fiction and non-fiction. Poetry and other literary forms will not be considered.
  4. Only works published in book form between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013, available for individual purchase by the general public, and primarily in English are eligible for the Saroyan Prize in 2014.
  5. Works by members of The Saroyan Prize Committee, members or officers of the William Saroyan Foundation, or previous winners are not eligible for the 2014 Saroyan Prize.
  6. Only complete entries received by Stanford University Libraries no later than January 31, 2014 will be considered.

    A complete entry includes:

    • A completed entry form. Complete form here.
    • Three copies of the work.
    • A non-refundable $50 entry fee. Payment may be made using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express at the above website, or by check. Checks should be made payable to Stanford University/Saroyan Writing Prize, and should indicate the title(s) of the work(s) they accompany.

    Completed entries should be sent to:
    Administrator of The Saroyan Prize Committee
    Stanford University Libraries
    557 Escondido Mall
    Stanford, CA 94305-6004

  7. The Saroyan Prize Committee will assemble and manage a team of Stanford University alumni and Stanford University Library staff to perform an initial screening of all entries.
  8. The Nominating Judges for each Saroyan Prize will review the screened entries, and put forward to the Stanford University Librarian a list of not less than three and not more than five Finalist works for each Prize.
  9. The winner of each Prize will be selected by the Stanford University Librarian, in consultation with the President of the William Saroyan Foundation, and based on the recommendations of the Nominating Judges. However, the University Librarian has the authority in extraordinary circumstances to award the Prize to any qualified entry.
  10. Nothing in this plan shall be deemed to limit in any way the authority and control of The Saroyan Writing Prize Committee.
  11. Finalists and prizewinners of the Prize will be listed permanently at this website.
  12. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.

Deadline: January 31, 2014

For more information — including entry forms, contest rules, complete guidelines, and press materials —visit the website at http://library.stanford.edu/Saroyan