List of BBC National Short Story Award winners

BBC National Short Story Award
Awarded forBest short story by a UK national or resident
Sponsored byBBC Radio 4 with Cambridge University
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBBC (formerly National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts)
Formerly calledNational Short Story Award (2006–2007)
First awarded2006
Currently held byComorbidities, Naomi Wood (2023)
WebsiteBBC National Short Story Award
Television/radio coverage
NetworkBBC Radio 4

The BBC National Short Story Award (known as the National Short Story Award in 2006 and 2007) is an annual short story contest in the United Kingdom which is open to UK residents and nationals.[1][2] It has been described as "one of the most prestigious [awards] for a single short story"[3] and the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[4] The award aims to increase interest in the short story genre, particularly British short stories.[2] As of 2017, the winner receives £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each.[5][6]

It was founded in 2005 and announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival the same year.[7] The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) were the main sponsor with support from BBC Radio 4 and Prospect magazine.[1] Originally, winners received £15,000 while runners up received £3,000 and shortlisted writers £500 each.[4][7] 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'.[1]

In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist.[8] This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018.[9][10] In 2018, prize judge Di Speirs noted that the BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist.[11] Short stories written by women typically account for between 50 and 70% of all submissions.[12]

At 26 years old, Canadian writer D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011.[13][14] In 2020, Sarah Hall, who won the award in 2013 and 2020, became the first writer to have won the award twice.[15] In 2012, in honour of the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London, the competition was open to a global audience for one year only.[16] Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer Miroslav Penkov won.[17]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference :18 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "London Met alum shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award - London Metropolitan University". London Metropolitan University. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Lea, Richard (4 July 2008). "Field narrows in race for richest story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Lucy Caldwell wins 16th BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. ISSN 2421-3667. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b Edemariam, Aida (24 August 2005). "Keep it brief". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  8. ^ Flood, Alison (27 November 2009). "All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  9. ^ Bury, Liz (20 September 2013). "All-woman shortlist for BBC short story award 2013". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  10. ^ Flood, Alison (14 September 2018). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  11. ^ Flood, Alison (14 September 2018). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  12. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - What I've learned from 15 years of the BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  13. ^ "DW Wilson is youngest winner of BBC Short Story prize". BBC. 26 September 2011. ISSN 2421-3667. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  14. ^ Macdonald, Fleur (28 September 2011). "Youngest-ever winner of the National BBC Short Story Award". The Spectator. ISSN 0038-6952. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  15. ^ Flood, Alison (6 October 2020). "'Master' of short story Sarah Hall becomes first to win BBC prize twice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  16. ^ Alison Flood (14 September 2012). "Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  17. ^ "BBC short story prize to go global for Olympic year". BBC. 9 December 2011. ISSN 2421-3667. Retrieved 12 May 2024.