List of BBC National Short Story Award winners

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

It was founded in 2005 and announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival the same year.[5] The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) were the main sponsor with support from BBC Radio 4 and Prospect magazine.[3] Originally, winners received £15,000 while runners up received £3,000 and shortlisted writers £500 each.[5][2] 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'.[3]

The BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist.[6] In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist.[7] This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018.[8][9] Canadian writer D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011.[10][11] Sarah Hall, who won the award in 2013 and 2020, is the only writer to have won the award twice.[12]

In 2012, in honour of the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London, the competition was open to a global audience for one year only.[13] Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer Miroslav Penkov won.[14]

Winners and shortlisted writers[edit]

2000s[edit]

BBC National Short Story Award winners and finalists, 2006–2009
Year Author Title Result Ref.
2006 James Lasdun An Anxious Man Winner [4]
Michel Faber The Safehouse Runner up [4]
Rose Tremain The Ebony Hand Shortlist [4]
William Trevor Men of Ireland Shortlist [4]
Rana Dasgupta The Flyover Shortlist [4]
2007 Julian Gough The Orphan and the Mob Winner [3]
David Almond Slog's Dad Runner up [3]
Jonathan Falla The Morena Shortlist [3]
Jackie Kay How to Get Away with Suicide Shortlist [3]
Hanif Kureishi Weddings and Beheadings Shortlist [3]
2008 Clare Wigfall The Numbers Winner [2][3]
Jane Gardam The People on Priviledge Hill Runner up [3]
Adam Thorpe The Names Shortlist [3]
Erin Soros Surge Shortlist [3]
Richard Beard Guidelines for Measures to Cope with Disgraceful and Other Events Shortlist [3]
2009 Kate Clanchy The Not-Dead and the Saved Winner [15]
Sara Maitland Moss Witch Runner up [15]
Jane Rogers Hitting Trees With Sticks Shortlist [15]
Lionel Shriver Exchange Rates Shortlist [15]
Naomi Alderman Other People's Gods Shortlist [15]

2010s[edit]

BBC National Short Story Award winners and finalists, 2010–2019
Year Author Title Result Ref.
2010 David Constantine Tea at the Midland Winner [16][3]
Jon McGregor If it Keeps on Raining Runner up [16][3]
Helen Oyeyemi My Daughter the Racist Shortlist [3]
Sarah Hall Butcher's Perfume Shortlist [3]
Aminatta Forna Haywards Heath Shortlist [3]
2011 D.W. Wilson[a] The Dead Roads Winner [17][18]
Jon McGregor Wires Runner up [18]
K.J. Orr The Human Circadian Pacemaker Shortlist [18]
M.J. Hyland Rag Love Shortlist [18]
Alison MacLeod The Heart of Denis Noble Shortlist [18]
2012 Miroslav Penkov East of the West Winner [19][20]
Henrietta Rose-Innes Sanctuary Runner up [19][20]
Julian Gough The iHole Shortlist [20]
Carrie Tiffany Before He Left the Family Shortlist [20]
Chris Womersley In the Basement Shortlist [20]
Adam Ross A Lovely and Terrible Thing Shortlist [20]
Deborah Levy Black Vodka Shortlist [20]
M.J. Hyland Even Pretty Eyes Commit Crimes Shortlist [20]
Lucy Caldwell The Goose Father Shortlist [20]
Krys Lee Escape Routes Shortlist [20]
2013 Sarah Hall Mrs Fox Winner [21][22]
Lucy Wood Notes from the House Spirits Runner up [21][22]
Lavinia Greenlaw We Are Watching Something Terrible Happening Shortlist [23]
Lionel Shriver Prepositions Shortlist [23]
Lisa Blower Barmouth Shortlist [23]
2014 Lionel Shriver Kilifi Creek Winner [24][25]
Zadie Smith Miss Adele Amidst the Corsets Runner up [24][25]
Francesca Rhydderch The Taxidermist's Daughter Shortlist [25]
Rose Tremain The American Lover Shortlist [25]
Tessa Hadley Bad Dreams Shortlist [25]
2015 Jonathan Buckley Briar Road Winner [26][3]
Mark Haddon Bunny Runner up [3][27]
Hilary Mantel The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher Shortlist [27]
Jeremy Page Do It Now, Jump the Table Shortlist [27]
Frances Leviston Broderie Anglaise Shortlist [27]
2016 K.J. Orr Disappearances Winner [28][29]
Claire-Louise Bennett Morning, Noon & Night Runner up [28][29]
Lavinia Greenlaw The Darkest Place in England Shortlist [29]
Tahmima Anam Garments Shortlist [29]
Hilary Mantel In a Right State Shortlist [29]
2017 Cynan Jones The Edge of the Shoal Winner [30][31]
Jenni Fagan The Waken Shortlist [31]
Will Eaves Murmur Shortlist [31]
Helen Oyeyemi If a book is locked there's probably a good reason for that, don't you think? Shortlist [31]
Benjamin Markovits The Collector Shortlist [31]
2018 Ingrid Persaud The Sweet Sop Winner [32][6]
Nell Stevens The Minutes Shortlist [6]
Kiare Ladner Van Rensburg's Card Shortlist [6]
Sarah Hall Sudden Traveller Shortlist [6]
Kerry Andrew To Belong To Shortlist [6]
2019 Jo Lloyd The Invisible Winner [33]
Lynda Clark Ghillie's Mum Shortlist [33]
Tamsin Grey My Beautiful Millennial Shortlist [33]
Lucy Caldwell The Children Shortlist [33]
Jacqueline Crooks Silver Fish in the Midnight Sea Shortlist [33]

2020s[edit]

BBC National Short Story Award winners and finalists, 2020–2029
Year Author Title Result Ref.
2020 Sarah Hall[b] The Grotesques Winner [34][35]
Eley Williams Scrimshaw Shortlist [35]
Jack Houston Come Down Heavy Shortlist [35]
Jan Carson In the Car With the Rain Coming Down Shortlist [35]
Caleb Azumah Nelson Pray Shortlist [35]
2021 Lucy Caldwell All the People Were Mean and Bad Winner [36][37]
Danny Rhodes Toadstone Shortlist [37]
Rory Gleeson The Body Audit Shortlist [37]
Georgina Harding Night Train Shortlist [37]
Richard Smyth Maykopsky District, Adyghe Oblast Shortlist [37]
2022 Saba Sams Blue 4eva Winner [38]
Kerry Andrew And the moon descends on the temple that was Shortlist [38]
Jenn Ashworth Flat 19 Shortlist [38]
Vanessa Onwuemezi Green Afternoon Shortlist [38]
Anna Bailey Long Way to Come for a Sip of Water Shortlist [38]
2023 Naomi Wood Comorbidities Winner [39]
Cherise Saywell Guests Shortlist [39]
K Patrick It's Me Shortlist [39]
Nick Mulgrew The Storm Shortlist [39]
Kamila Shamsie Churail Shortlist [39]
2024 To be announced 12 September 2024[40] Shortlist

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011
  2. ^ Sarah Hall is the only writer to have won the award twice

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Lucy Caldwell wins 16th BBC National Short Story Award". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  2. ^ a b c Richard Lea (4 July 2008). "Field narrows in race for richest story award". The Guardian. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - The 2016 Award". BBC. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Ezard, John (4 April 2006). "Richest short story competition draws huge entry". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b Edemariam, Aida (2005-08-24). "Keep it brief". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Flood, Alison (2018-09-14). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  7. ^ Flood, Alison (2009-11-27). "All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  8. ^ Bury, Liz (2013-09-20). "All-woman shortlist for BBC short story award 2013". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  9. ^ Flood, Alison (2018-09-14). "BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  10. ^ "DW Wilson is youngest winner of BBC Short Story prize". BBC News. 2011-09-26. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  11. ^ Macdonald, Fleur (2011-09-28). "Youngest-ever winner of the National BBC Short Story Award". The Spectator. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  12. ^ Flood, Alison (2020-10-06). "'Master' of short story Sarah Hall becomes first to win BBC prize twice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  13. ^ Alison Flood (September 14, 2012). "Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  14. ^ "BBC short story prize to go global for Olympic year". BBC News. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  15. ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2009-11-27). "All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  16. ^ a b Page, Benedicte (2010-11-29). "National Short Story award goes to David Constantine". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  17. ^ Rosemary Westwood (2012-09-06). "D.W. Wilson: The Canadian who grabbed the Brit lit prize". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
  18. ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2011-09-09). "BBC National Short Story award pits award-winning writers against students". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  19. ^ a b Alison Flood (3 October 2012). "Miroslav Penkov wins BBC international short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Flood, Alison (2012-09-14). "Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  21. ^ a b Liz Bury (8 October 2013). "Sarah Hall's tale of woman who turns into a fox wins BBC short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  22. ^ a b "Sarah Hall wins the BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. 8 October 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  23. ^ a b c "All female shortlist for the BBC National Short Story Award 2013". The Telegraph. 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  24. ^ a b "Lionel Shriver wins BBC National Short Story Award". BBC News. September 30, 2014.
  25. ^ a b c d e "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - The BBC National Short Story Award Shortlist 2014". BBC. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  26. ^ "Jonathan Buckley wins BBC National Short Story Award". BBC. October 6, 2015.
  27. ^ a b c d Flood, Alison (2015-09-16). "Hilary Mantel's The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher makes shortlist for BBC short story award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  28. ^ a b "Debut writer KJ Orr beats Hilary Mantel to short story prize". BBC News. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  29. ^ a b c d e Flood, Alison (2016-09-16). "Debut authors make BBC national short story award shortlist". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  30. ^ Flood, Alison (3 October 2017). "BBC national short story award goes to Cynan Jones". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  31. ^ a b c d e "The BBC National Short Story Award Shortlist". Granta. 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  32. ^ "Ingrid Persaud wins BBC short story award". BBC News. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  33. ^ a b c d e "Welsh writer Jo Lloyd wins BBC Short Story prize". BBC. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  34. ^ "Sarah Hall becomes first writer to win BBC National Short Story Award twice". BBC National Short Story Award. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  35. ^ a b c d e "Fifteenth BBC National Short Story Award shortlist revealed". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  36. ^ Flood, Alison (19 October 2021). "Lucy Caldwell wins BBC national short story award for 'masterful' tale". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  37. ^ a b c d e "BBC National Short Story Award 2021 shortlist revealed". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2021-09-10. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  38. ^ a b c d e Shaffi, Sarah (4 October 2022). "Saba Sams wins BBC national short story award for 'transportive' tale". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  39. ^ a b c d e Creamer, Ella; Wood, Naomi (26 September 2023). "Bestselling author Naomi Wood wins 2023 BBC national short story award". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2023. Includes full text of story
  40. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - 2024 BBC Short Story Awards open". BBC. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
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