List of PEN literary awards

There are over 145 International PEN centres on the world, some of which hold annual literary awards. The PEN America Literary Awards have been characterized as being among the "major" literary awards in America.

PEN America

Award Description Founded Status
PEN Award for Poetry in Translation To honor a poetry translation 1996 Active
PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Established in 2016, this award is designed to honor a writer imprisoned for his or her work. Its predecessor was PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom To Write Award (see below). 2016 Active
PEN/Bellwether Prize For a previously unpublished work of fiction that address issues of social justice. 2000 Active
PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay For a book of original collected essays 1990 Active
PEN/Distinguished Leadership Award Individual award given out in 2018 and 2019, both times to lawyers. In 2018, an entertainment lawyer was honored "for exceptional work in support of PEN America and its mission to defend free expression", and in 2019, a First Amendment lawyer was honored for "his exceptional work handling high-profile litigation, media relations, and media legal issues, particularly his recent representation of [two] White House correspondent[s]". 2018 Active
PEN/Edward and Lily Tuck Award for Paraguayan Literature To honor an author of a major work of Paraguayan literature and the English translator. 2012 Active
PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award For writing that exemplifies literary excellence on the subject of physical and biological sciences. 2011 Active
PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing To honor a nonfiction book about sports. 2010-2019 Inactive
PEN/ESPN Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Sports Writing To honor an author's body of work and long-term contributions to the field of literary sports writing. 2011-2019 Inactive
PEN/Fusion Emerging Writers Prize Recognizes a promising young writer of an unpublished work of nonfiction that addresses a global and/or multicultural issue 2015-2016 Inactive
PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award To honor a "distinguished biography possessing notable literary merit which has been published in the United States during the previous calendar year." 2008 Active
PEN/Jean Stein Book Award To "a book that has broken new ground and signals strong potential for lasting influence." 2016 Active
PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction To a distinguished book of general nonfiction that possess the qualities of intellectual rigor, perspicuity of expression, and stylistic elegance conspicuous in the writings of author and economist John Kenneth Galbraith. 2007 Active
PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry In recognition of a book of poetry with high literary character by a new and emerging American poet of any age with the promise of further literary achievement. 1999-2019 Inactive
PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award To a Grand Master of American Theater and a playwright in mid-career. 1998 Active
PEN/Nabokov Award To writers, principally novelists, "whose works evoke to some measure Nabokov's brilliant versatility and commitment to literature as a search for the deepest truth and the highest pleasure". 2000–2008; 2017– Active
PEN/Nora Magid Award for Magazine Editing To "a magazine editor whose high literary standards and taste have, throughout their career, contributed significantly to the excellence of the publication he or she edits." 1993 Active
PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories Annual American award given to short stories of exceptional merit. 1919 Active
PEN Open Book Award To books published in the United States (but without citizenship or residency requirements) by "authors of color who have not received wide media coverage". 1991 Active
PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship To a writer of children's or young-adult fiction of high literary caliber "at a crucial moment in their career to complete a book-length work-in-progress." 2001 Active
PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation To a translator "whose career has demonstrated a commitment to excellence through the body of their work". 1982 Active
PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers Recognizes 12 emerging fiction writers each year for their debut short story 2016 Active
PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize To "exceptionally talented fiction writers whose debut work—a first novel or collection of short stories...represent distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise." 2002 Active
PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction To "a distinguished living American author of fiction whose body of work in English possesses qualities of excellence, ambition, and scale of achievement over a sustained career which place him or her in the highest rank of American literature." 2007–2018 Inactive
PEN Translation Fund Grants Grants are awarded each year to a select number of literary translators 2003 Active
PEN Translation Prize To outstanding translations into the English language. 1963 Active
PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry To an American poet whose distinguished and growing body of work to date represents a notable and accomplished presence in American literature. 1994 Active
PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award Honours writers anywhere in the world who have fought courageously in the face of adversity for the right to freedom of expression. Succeeded by PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award (see above). 1987–2015 Inactive
PEN/Steven Kroll Award "to acknowledge the distinct literary contributions of picture book writers." 2012–2014 Inactive
PEN/W.G. Sebald Award To honor a promising writer who has published three works of fiction. 2010–2011 Inactive
PEN Emerging Writers Awards To up-and-coming authors whose writing have been featured in distinguished literary journals, but haven't published book-length works. 2011–2011 Inactive
PEN/Amazon.com Short Story Award Unpublished writers submit original short story manuscripts. Each manuscript will compete for a $10,000 cash grant and publication at Amazon.com and in The Boston Book Review. Award active for one year. 2000–2000 Inactive
Architectural Digest Award for Literary Writing on the Visual Arts For literary writing on the visual arts. Award active for two years. 2000–2001 Inactive
Gregory Kolovakos Award To a U.S. literary translator, editor, or critic "whose work, in meeting the challenge of cultural difference, extends Gregory Kolovakos's commitment to the richness of Hispanic literature and to expanding its English-language audience". 1992–2004 Inactive
Jerard Fund Award Honors a work in progress of general nonfiction distinguished by high literary quality by a woman at the midpoint in her career. Presented every 2 years. 2001–2005 Inactive
Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir For a first published memoir. 1998–2006 Inactive
Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction For an American author's first-published book of general nonfiction. 1989–2006 Inactive
PEN/Katherine Anne Porter First Amendment Award To a U.S. resident "who has fought courageously, despite adversity, to safeguard the First Amendment right to freedom of expression as it applies to the written word." The award succeeded the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award 2008–2008 Inactive
PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award To a U.S. resident who "fought courageously, despite adversity, to safeguard the First Amendment right to freedom of expression as it applies to the written word." 1993–2006 Inactive
Renato Poggioli Translation Award For a translator at work on an English-language version of Italian literature. 1991–2000 Inactive
Roger Klein Award for Career Achievement To a trade book editor every two years for "distinguished editorial achievement." 1971–2000 Inactive
Roger Klein Award for Editing An honor "given [every two years] to an outstanding editor in trade hardcover publishing." 1971–2000 Inactive

PEN/Faulkner Foundation

Award Description Founded Status
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction To the authors of the year's best works of fiction by living American citizens. 1981 Active
PEN/Malamud Award Honors "excellence in the art of the short story." 1988 Active

PEN Center USA

Award Description Founded Status
Annual Literary Awards Awards presented in 12 categories: Lifetime Achievement, Award of Honor, Freedom to Write, First Amendment, Award of Merit, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Research Nonfiction, Poetry, Children's and Young Adult Literature, Translation, Journalism, Drama, Teleplay, Screenplay, UC Press Exceptional First Book Award. 2000 Active

PEN New England (today PEN America Boston)

Award Description Founded Status
Laurence L. & Thomas Winship/PEN New England Award To honor a New England author or book with a New England setting or subject. 1975 Active
PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel To a novel or book of short stories by an American author who has not previously published a book of fiction. 1976 Active
PEN Song Lyrics Award to a singer songwriter, for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence 2012 Active
Vasyl Stus Freedom-to-Write Award Recognizes a writer persecuted for the peaceful expression of their views and whose courage in the face of censorship and oppression is exemplary. (?) Active
Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award Given to a New England resident for an unpublished work in one of four categories of children’s literature: picture books, novels, poetry, and nonfiction. (?) Active
Henry David Thoreau Prize Awarded annually to a writer demonstrating literary excellence in nature writing. (?) Active
Friend to Writers Award To one individual and one organization whose commitment to a culture of literature and the free and open exchange of ideas personifies PEN’s core mission. (?) Active
Howard Zinn Award Presented to an American writer for speaking truth to power. (?) Active

PEN Oakland

Award Description Founded Status
PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award In order to "promote works of excellence by writers of all cultural and racial backgrounds and to educate both the public and the media as to the nature of multi-cultural work." 1989 Active
PEN Oakland/Censorship Award Honors authors of literature of conscience who may have suffered censorship, efforts to discredit or failure to distribute/review their work based on philosophical or cultural content. 1997 Active
PEN Oakland/Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award In honor of PEN Oakland Vice President Reginald Lockett who died in 2008. 2006 Active

English PEN

Award Description Founded Status
PEN Pinter Prize Awarded annually to a British writer or a writer resident in Britain of outstanding literary merit who, in the words of Harold Pinter’s Nobel speech, casts an ‘unflinching, unswerving’ gaze upon the world, and shows a ‘fierce intellectual determination … to define the real truth of our lives and our societies’. 2009 Active
Golden PEN Award A Lifetime's Distinguished Service to Literature is presented annually to a British Writer. 1993 Active
PEN Heaney Prize (delivered as a partnership with Irish PEN) Awarded annually to a single volume of poetry by one author, published in the UK or Ireland, of outstanding literary merit that engages with the impact of cultural or political events on human conditions or relationships. 2024 Active
PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize Awarded annually for a non-fiction book of specifically historical content. Entrants, which may include first British translations, are to be books of high literary merit – that is, not primarily written for the academic market – and can cover all historical periods up to and including the Second World War. 2002 Active
PEN Ackerley Prize To a literary autobiography of excellence, written by an author of British nationality and published during the preceding year, for which it is felt that J.R. Ackerley would have expressed enthusiasm. 1982 Active
PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award Awarded annually to a collection of short stories. 1985–2001(?) Inactive

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann

Award Description Founded Status
Irish PEN Award To honour an Irish-born writer who has made an outstanding contribution to Irish Literature. 1999 Active
PEN Heaney Prize (delivered as a partnership with English PEN) Awarded annually to a single volume of poetry by one author, published in the UK or Ireland, of outstanding literary merit that engages with the impact of cultural or political events on human conditions or relationships. 2024 Active

Catalan PEN Club

Award Description Founded Status
Free Voice Prize Is awarded to an author who has suffered imprisonment or persecution because of their writing. 2010 Active

Portuguese PEN Club

Award Description Founded Status
Portuguese PEN Club Prize Awards in four categories: Prose Fiction/Novel, Poetry, Essay and Literary Translation. 1980 Active

International PEN

Award Description Founded Status
Oxfam Novib/PEN Award To recognise writers who have been persecuted for their work and continue working despite the consequences. 2001 Active
David T.K. Wong Prize for Short Fiction Unpublished stories, written in English, submitted through any worldwide PEN center. Awarded bi-annually. 2000/1 to 2004/5 Inactive

Sydney PEN

Award Description Founded Status
Sydney PEN Award Presented annually to a Sydney PEN member who has worked especially hard to promote the Centre’s values and the PEN Charter. 2006 Active
PEN Keneally Award For recognizing an achievement in promoting freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature. 2004 Active

PEN Centre Germany

Award Description Founded Status
Hermann Kesten Prize Presented annually for outstanding efforts in support of persecuted writers. 1985 Active

Hungarian PEN Club

Award Description Founded Status
Janus Pannonius International Poetry Prize Presented to an international poet whose oeuvre fits into the mainstream of European culture. 2012 Active

Norsk PEN

Award Description Founded Status
Ossietzky Prize For outstanding achievements within the field of freedom of expression 2001 Active

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bendixen, Alfred (2005). "Literary Prizes and Awards". The Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 689. ISBN 9780826417770.
  2. ↑ "PEN honors SoCal writers with 2018 literary awards". Los Angeles Times. September 27, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2025. ... PEN America trustee Marvin Putnam, a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer, will receive the organization's Distinguished Leadership Award.
  3. ↑ Schaub, Michael (November 4, 2019). "PEN America awards honor Ava DuVernay, Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 19, 2025. Also honored were Los Angeles lawyer Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., who received PEN's Distinguished Leadership Award ....
  4. ↑ "2018 Distinguished Leadership Award: Marvin Putnam". PEN America. September 12, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2025. ... PEN America will recognize ... Marvin Putnam with the Distinguished Leadership Award for exceptional work in support of PEN America and its mission to defend free expression and celebrate literary excellence.
  5. ↑ "First Amendment Champion Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., Earns PEN America's 2019 Distinguished Leadership Award" (Press release). Beverly Hills, California: PEN America. August 30, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2025. Boutrous will be recognized for his exceptional work handling high-profile litigation, media relations, and media legal issues, particularly his recent representation of Jim Acosta, CNN chief White House correspondent, and Brian Karem, Playboy White House correspondent.
  6. ↑ "First Amendment Lawyer Ted Boutrous Honored with Leadership Award from PEN America". First Amendment Watch. Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, New York University. August 30, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  7. ↑ Schaub, Michael (July 20, 2016). "PEN America launches $75,000 book prize, one of the country's biggest". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ "PEN/Amazon.com Short Story Award Introduced". The Write News. February 9, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  9. ↑ "PEN/Amazon.com Short Story Award". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  10. ↑ CELIA MCGEE (November 12, 2012). "Mehta Merge Master At Knopf". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 29, 2012.[dead link]
  11. ↑ "Architectural Digest Award for Literary Writing on the Visual Arts Winners". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Jerard Fund Award". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on December 20, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  15. ↑ Opinion Editorial (April 27, 2008). "Laura Berg's Letter". The New York Times. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Renato Poggioli Translation Award". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Roger Klein Award for Career Achievement". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19.
  18. ↑ "Willen Wins PEN/Klein Award". Publishers Weekly. February 22, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Roger Klein Award for Editing Winners". PEN American Center. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  20. ↑ "P.E.N. Awards Given To 2 Publishing Figures". The New York Times. November 27, 1984. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  21. ↑ Kellogg, Carolyn (September 7, 2011). "PEN Center USA 2011 awards to feature Dave Eggers, Robert Pinksy". LA Times. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  22. ↑ "PEN Center USA Awards Center". PEN Center USA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  23. ↑ "PEN/Song Lyrics Award". PEN New England. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Vasyl Stus Freedom-to-Write Award". PEN New England. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award". PEN New England. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Henry David Thoreau Prize". PEN New England. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  27. ↑ "Friend to Writers Award". PEN New England. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  28. ↑ "The Howard Zinn Award". PEN New England. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  29. 1 2 3 "PEN Oakland Awards". PEN Oakland. Retrieved August 29, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  30. ↑ "PEN Pinter Prize". English PEN. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Golden Pen Award". English PEN. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  32. ↑ "PEN Heaney Prize". English PEN. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
  33. ↑ "Hessell-Tiltman Prize". English PEN. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  34. ↑ "PEN/Ackerley Prize". English PEN. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  35. ↑ Andrew Maunder (2007). "Awards and Prizes". The Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story. Infobase Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9780816074969.
  36. ↑ "PEN Heaney Prize". English PEN. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
  37. ↑ Portuguese Society of Authors (15 December 2008). "Speech delivered by the President of the Republic at the award Ceremony of the Portuguese PEN Club Literary Prizes". Presidency of the Portuguese Republic. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  38. ↑ "David T.K.Wong Prize". English PEN. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 2012-09-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  39. ↑ "The Sydney PEN Award". Sydney PEN. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  40. ↑ "PEN Keneally Award". Sydney PEN. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  41. ↑ "Ossietzky Prize". norskpen.no. Retrieved November 27, 2016.