Friday, August 21, 2015

An unusual literary award outcome

AWP Award Series Creative Nonfiction Prize

"Even with our best efforts, our work is not always deemed successful. This year, our judge for Creative Nonfiction, Lia Purpura, did not select a winner for the competition. Because we know such a decision is unpopular, I am writing to explain why this is an outcome that AWP allows in the adjudication of our awards.

"The Award Series guidelines have stated—ever since the inception of the Series in 1975—that the judge makes the final decision and no award is given if the judge finds no manuscript that merits the award. Every entrant agrees to this and other terms before submitting works into the competition via Submittable.

"The outcome of no winner has occurred several times in the 40-year history of the series." 
A reminder that even our best work may not be seen as such by others. So goes the world of the working writer.

No comments: