Since 1963, the PEN America Literary Awards have honored many of the most outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, and drama. With the help of our partners, PEN America confers over 20 distinct awards, fellowships, grants and prizes each year, awarding nearly $350,000 to writers and translators. View and search our archive of Award winners here.
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Find out which books were named the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards Winners »
Submissions and nominations for the 2022 cycle were open June 1–August 1, 2021.
View a full list of our awards, grants, and fellowships, both past and present.
Learn the history of our Literary Awards and search past winners.
Find links to work by and interviews with featured honorees.
Listen to The PEN Pod
The PEN Pod: Writing as Medicine with Sandra Cisneros and Jane Marchant
“We need to remind other writers that they have a purpose. . . if I’m not there [as a judge], or if someone like me isn’t there, then possibly… More
The PEN Pod: Honoring Literary Excellence with Ruben Quesada and Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf
PEN America’s Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf joins poet and Literary Awards committee member Ruben Quesada for a conversation about how awards can help diversify and advance the American literary canon. More
Recent News
Announcing the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards Finalists
PEN America is honored to announce the finalists for the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Announcing the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards Longlists
PEN America is honored to announce the longlists for the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards. More
PEN America Opens Submissions for 2022 Literary Awards
PEN America today announced the opening of submissions and nominations for the 2022 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Announcing the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards Winners
PEN America is thrilled to announce the 2021 Literary Awards winners. The winners were announced at the PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony on April 8, 2021. More
Announcing the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards Career Achievement Winners
The PEN America Literary Awards Program is honored to announce the 2021 career achievement award winners. More
Announcing the 2021 PEN America Literary Grant Winners
PEN America is delighted to announce the 2021 grant winners. These grants support writers and translators of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s literature, oral history, and more. More
Announcing the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards Finalists
PEN America is honored to announce the finalists for the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Announcing the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards Longlists
PEN America is honored to announce the longlists for the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards. These authors are committed to recognizing their contemporaries, from promising debut writers to those… More
Meet the 2021 Literary Awards Judges
PEN America’s 2021 Literary Awards judges join a long tradition of esteemed writers and PEN America members committed to recognizing their contemporaries. More
PEN America Opens Submissions for 2021 PEN America Literary Awards
"Through the reimagined Literary Awards, PEN America redoubles its commitment to celebrating the talent and voices of the poets and writers most often marginalized by business as usual, and… More
2020 Cycle
The 2020 PEN America Literary Awards Winners
PEN America is thrilled to announce the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards winners. More
Tom Stoppard, M. NourbeSe Philip, Tanya Barfield, Rigoberto González to Receive PEN America Honorary and Career-Achievement Literary Awards
“Fostering and celebrating international literature is central to the mission of the PEN America Literary Awards; we seek to champion original and promising writers of the global community and… More
Announcing the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards Finalists
PEN America is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Seth Meyers to Host 2020 PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony, March 2 at New York’s The Town Hall
“The PEN America Literary Awards work to elevate original and promising voices and build a literary canon fit for the 21st century." More
Announcing the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards Longlists
PEN America is thrilled to announce the longlists for the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards. More
Meet the 2020 Literary Awards Judges
PEN America’s 2020 Literary Awards judges join a long tradition of esteemed writers and PEN America members committed to recognizing their contemporaries, from promising debut writers to those who… More
