21st Century Literature discussion
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What Type Of Literary Prize Would You Like To See That Doesn't Yet Exist? (4/13/25)
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Marc
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Apr 14, 2025 12:14PM
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The backwards prize. First the winner is announced. Then two weeks later a shortlist and after a month the Longlist. Then readers get to vote for their own winner
Oh yeah the specs- fiction in English and in translation. I’d allow graphic novels, poetry and short story collections. Six judges from different disciplines. Shortlist 6 books , Longlist 10 (I usually get booker burnout after book 10)
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I'd like to see a prize that takes a long list from books published say, 100 or 5O years ago . Not sure how it would work regarding nominations but I would favour forgotten classics .
On the backwards prize, Neil Griffiths had wanted to do that for the Republic of Consciousness. We thought though it would be too confusing for the literary press, bookshops etc. Except we didn’t have the readers vote bit - that’s actually a nice way it could work.
On that forgotten clsssics the Booker did it in 2010 for novels from 1970 - as given a change in dates most 1970: novels were not eligible for the Booker at the time. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_...
I have been thinking of instigating a literature prize for contemporary plays (as theatre is my primary field) - there are various awards (like the Tonys, Oliviers, etc.) that award for new productions, and also things like the Yale Drama and Verity Bargate Prizes that are associated with either specific theatres or universities - but this would be specifically for playwrights and new work that may or may not have been produced. I have no idea HOW I would go about doing such or putting together the necessary infrastructure - but am at the age where I need to put together a charitable trust to take care of my assets when I am no longer around, as I have no heirs.
Very creative! I would like to see an award that would pit the winners of national book prizes (like the Akutagawa prize, Prix Concourt, Libris Literature prize) against each other. It would require a lot of translation, so it is nothing more than fantasy, but would like more exposure to translated works than just what the International Booker Prize offers.
@Henk . That's a great idea . I would love it if the big English language prizes picked a lesser known National Prize and showcased it each year , in translation .The marketing reach of such awards is immense and it would expose new authors to the wider world .
How about a prize for men adjudicated only by women and vice versa?We've managed to live with a Women's prize for a couple of decades now so it feels like we are accepting on some level the notion that women authors and men authors may sometimes be separated out for prize consideration. My idea would just take it further and match women authors and men readers and the other way round.
The goal is not to emphasize differences, but to encourage new perspectives and interrogate them. Too much?
Daniel wrote: "How about a prize for men adjudicated only by women and vice versa?We've managed to live with a Women's prize for a couple of decades now so it feels like we are accepting on some level the notio..."
I'm so intrigued by this idea. Especially if there were a judges pick and also a "popular vote."
