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WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR WRITING
Event is meant to encourage new or emerging writers rather than recognizing established literary figures
Stanford University Libraries, in partnership with the William Saroyan Foundation, announced the launch of the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing ("Saroyan Writing Prize") for newly published works of fiction including novels, short stories, dramas or memoirs. The Saroyan Writing Prize, which is a biennial event, is meant to encourage new or emerging writers rather than recognizing established literary figures.Entries competing for the Saroyan Writing Prize will be received from April 17, 2002 through January 31, 2003 at the Stanford University Libraries. Entries are limited to works published in English in book form and available for purchase by the general public. The winner will be awarded a prize in the amount of $12,500. Finalists and the prize winner will be notified by mail and announced publicly at an official award ceremony in late Spring of 2003. Official entry forms and rules are available at http://saroyanprize.stanford.edu.
Stanford University Libraries and the William Saroyan Foundation have established the Saroyan Writing Prize Committee, which will administer all nominations. In addition, a group of distinguished judges will be responsible for reviewing qualified entrants, nominating finalists and recommending the Saroyan Writing Prize winner. Due to its criteria and focus, The William Saroyan International Prize for Writing hopes over time to join the ranks of other notable literary awards/prizes such as the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, Wallace Stegner Award, PEN/Faulkner Prize for Fiction, PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Book of Fiction, National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
The William Saroyan Foundation was officially founded by the author on December 30, 1966. Since then, distinguished professors, business executives, and high-ranking government officials have accepted appointments to the Foundation's Board of Trustees. Commencing 1990, the Trustees set a goal of bringing together into one single archive his entire literary estate. A decision was finally made by the Trustees to offer Stanford University the assembled Saroyan Literary Collection with provisions that would safeguard one of the rare treasure-troves in American literature in perpetuity, carrying on the legacy of Fresno, California's own Native Son, William Saroyan.