The University of North Texas Press hosts two yearly prizes:
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction normally runs from May 1 to June 30.
The Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry runs from September 1 to October 31.
For more information about our prizes, visit untpress.unt.edu/contest.
The University of North Texas Press announces the 2025 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction. The Winner of this annual award will receive $1,000 and publication by UNT Press. Entries will be judged by an eminent writer.
Dates for submission: Manuscripts may be submitted between 9:00 am on May 1 and 5:00 pm on June 30. The winning manuscript will be announced in January 2025.
We only accept electronic submissions.
The $25.00 entry fee can be paid online via credit card or PayPal.
Entries can be a combination of short-shorts, short stories, and novellas, from 100 to 200 book pages in length (word count between 27,500 and 50,000). Material should be previously unpublished in book form. Once a winner is declared and contracted for publication, UNT Press will hold the rights to the stories in the winning collection. They may no longer be under consideration for serial publication elsewhere and must be withdrawn by the author from consideration.
Manuscript Guidelines:
1. Please be sure manuscript pages are numbered.
2. Please include a table of contents.
3. Please use a standard, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman in
twelve-point size.
4. Stories included in the submission may have appeared previously in
magazines or anthologies but may not have been previously published in
a book-length collection of the author's own work.
5. Authors may submit more than one manuscript to the competition for
consideration as long as no material is duplicated between submissions.
Each submission will require a separate entry fee.
6. Manuscripts under consideration for this competition may be submitted
elsewhere at the same time. Please withdraw your manuscript if it is
accepted by another publisher and should no longer be considered for
the Katherine Anne Porter Award competition. Withdrawal can be
completed via the submissions manager website. Entry fees are not
refundable.
Blind review: Manuscripts will be considered on the merits of the fiction and neither the initial reading committee members nor the final judge will be aware of the names or publication records of the authors. Please do not include your name on the pages of the manuscript-only in the form boxes of the electronic submissions manager. The first page of the manuscript should include the title of the collection only.
Where to Carry the Sound by Nina Sudhakar was our 2024 winner, judged by Molly Giles
What Did You Do Today? by Anthony Varallo was our 2023 winner, judged by Rebecca Brown.
There is Only Us by Zoe Ballering was our 2022 winner, judged by Polly Buckingham.
They Kept Running by Michelle Ross was our 2021 winner, judged by Meagan Cass.
Some People Let You Down by Mike Alberti was our 2020 winner, judged by Zach VandeZande.
Orders of Protection by Jenn Hollmeyer was our 2019 winner, judged by Colin Winnette.
Quantum Convention by Eric Schlich was our 2018 winner, judged by Dolan Morgan.
ActivAmerica by Meagan Cass was our 2017 winner, judged by Claire Vaye Watkins.
The Expense of a View by Polly Buckingham was our 2016 winner, judged by Chris Offutt.
Last Words of the Holy Ghost by Matt Cashion was our 2015 winner, judged by Lee K. Abbott.
The Year of Perfect Happiness by Becky Adnot-Haynes was our 2014 winner, judged by Matt Bell.
In These Times the Home Is a Tired Place by Jessica Hollander was our 2013 winner, judged by Katherine Dunn.
Venus in the Afternoon by Tehila Lieberman was our 2012 winner, judged by Miroslav Penkov.
Out of Time by Geoff Schmidt was our 2011 winner, judged by Ben Marcus.
A Bright Soothing Noise by Peter Brown was our 2010 winner, judged by Josip Novakovich.
Irish Girl by Tim Johnston was our 2009 winner, judged by Janet Peery.
Last Known Position by James Mathews was our 2008 winner, judged by Tom Franklin.
Wonderful Girl by Aimee LaBrie was our 2007 winner, judged by Bill Roorbach.
Body Language by Kelly Magee was our 2006 winner, judged by Dan Chaon.
What Are You Afraid Of? by Michael Hyde, was our 2005 winner, judged by Sharon Oard Warner.
Let's Do by Rebecca Meacham was our 2004 winner, judged by Jonis Agee.
Here Comes the Roar by Dave Shaw was our 2003 winner, judged by Marly Swick.
The Stuntman's Daughter by Alice Blanchard, judged by Rick De Marinis.