About the Annual Awards Benefit
Each December, The Center for Fiction Annual Awards Benefit gathers the literary community to celebrate excellence and leadership in the writing and publishing of fiction.
Esteemed emcees such as Belletrist co-founders Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan; acclaimed writer and wit Fran Lebowitz; and actor, author, and comedian Yvonne Orji have presided over the evening as we pay tribute to the power of fiction to uphold freedom of expression, expand our knowledge of who we are, and enable connectedness to one another and to the world.
First Novel Prize
Each year, excitement fills the room as the winner of The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize is announced. In 2023 Tyriek White received the award for We Are a Haunting, selected by a panel of distinguished American writers—Hannah Lillith Assadi, Ayana Mathis, Tochi Onyebuchi, and Deesha Philyaw. Previous winners include Noor Naga (If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English), Kirstin Valdez Quade (The Five Wounds) and Raven Leilani (Luster). The longlist for the 2024 First Novel Prize will be announced in July, followed by the shortlist in September.
Medal for Editorial Excellence
The Center for Fiction Medal for Editorial Excellence honors the work of an editor, publisher, or agent who has discovered, nurtured and championed writers of fiction in the United States. In 2023 Graywolf Press accepted the Medal, introduced by author Carmen Maria Machado, in recognition of their nearly fifty-year history of publishing adventurous titles by underrepresented and diverse voices. Sarah McGrath, Editor-in-Chief of Riverhead Books, received the award in 2022. She was introduced by Brit Bennett, one of several authors present from the illustrious list of writers whose work McGrath has edited. Previous recipients include Alvina Ling (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), introduced by author Grace Lin, and Chris Jackson (One World), introduced by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction Award
The Center for Fiction Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction Award honors a writer who, through their exceptional body of work, has significantly shaped our culture and perspective. In 2023, we honored author Salman Rushdie for his literary genius and political courage. To accept the award, he appeared in conversation with author Kiran Desai. In 2022, we honored Nigerian-born playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, and human rights activist Wole Soyinka. Joined onstage by The Center’s Board Chair and Vice President and Executive Editor at Alfred A. Knopf, Erroll McDonald, Soyinka spoke to the challenges we face in the fight for freedom of expression. Authors Kazuo Ishiguro and Toni Morrison received the award in 2021 and 2018, introduced by David Remnick and Oprah Winfrey, respectively.
Supporting Readers and Writers
The 2024 Annual Awards Benefit promises to be a warm and festive gathering of literary luminaries that raises essential funding for all of The Center for Fiction's work, including public literary programs, Emerging Writer Fellowships, Reading Groups and Writing Workshops, and KidsRead/KidsWrite educational programming for New York City public school students. We look forward to once again reveling in the art and power of fiction with you.
Questions about the event? Please write to Melissa Wyse at melissa@centerforfiction.org