Thursday, July 28, 2011

Judges announced for BBC National Short Story Award 2011

Three of the UK’s leading authors have joined Chair Sue MacGregor and BBC Radio’s Di Speirs to judge the 2011 BBC National Short Story Award this autumn. The Award, which is now in its sixth year, celebrates the best in contemporary short story writing and is one of the most important for a single short story. The author of the winning story will be awarded £15,000, with the runner up receiving £3,000 and a further three authors receiving £500 each. 
This year’s panel consists of:

  • BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Sue MacGregor (Chair)
  • Joe Dunthorne, poet and author of Submarine
  • Author and journalist Geoff Dyer
  • Tessa Hadley, whose most recent novel is The London Train
  • Di Speirs, Editor Readings, BBC Radio,
Sue MacGregor, BBC Radio 4 broadcaster and Chair of the 2011 judging panel comments:
‘We've had an impressive number of short stories to keep us busy reading these last few weeks. My fellow judges – three distinguished writers and a BBC editor of vast experience – will join me over breakfast one morning this month and pick our shortlist of the best of them, fortified by several gallons of strong coffee, some lively argument, and the knowledge that the genre is in terrifically good health. It won't be easy but we'll have a fine time.’

The Award has moved forward by two months in 2011 from November to September to coincide with Books on the BBC 2011 – a major season of programmes focusing on literature. The shortlist will be announced on Friday 9 September with each of the five stories broadcast on Radio 4 the following week. The winner will be announced on Monday 26 September. The five stories will also be published in a special anthology and be available for free audio download for a limited time.

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