2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries ($15,000)

Get latest opportunities in your email

---

Join Our Telegram Channel

About 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world.

• School: University of Pittsburgh

Benefits of 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries

Winners receive a cash prize of $15,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and support in the nation-wide promotion of their book.

2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries Requirements

1. The award is open to writers who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction with a reputable book publisher, or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in magazines or journals of national distribution. Digital-only publication and self-publication do not count toward this requirement.
2. The award is open to writers in English, whether or not they are citizens of the United States.
3. Current University of Pittsburgh employees and students, and former employees and students affiliated with the University within the last three years, are not eligible for the award.
4. Translations are not eligible if the translation was not done by the author.
5. Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 pages. Prior publication of your manuscript as a whole in any format (including electronic) makes it ineligible.
6. Stories or novellas previously published in magazines or journals or in book form as part of an anthology are eligible.
7. Manuscripts may also be under consideration by other publishers, but if a manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere and you wish to accept this offer, please notify the Press immediately. Manuscripts under contract elsewhere are no longer eligible for the Prize.
8. Authors may submit more than one manuscript to the competition as long as one manuscript or a portion thereof does not duplicate material submitted in another manuscript.

Application Date and Process

1. During the submission period (May 1 – June 30) simply click this link above. You’ll be taken to their secure submittable.com web page where you’ll find easy-to-follow instructions:
2. Manuscripts must be double-spaced and pages must be numbered consecutively.
3. Each submission must include a list of all of the writer’s published short fiction work, with full citations. You will be given an opportunity to enter this information into a field in Submittable.
4. Manuscripts will be judged anonymously. Therefore, the author’s name, other identifying information, and publication information must not appear within the manuscript. Only your uploaded manuscript is visible to the judges.

If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email [email protected].

Application Deadline

30 June, 2025

Scholarship Application Portal

View details of 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries

Apply for 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Entries