The 4th William Saroyan International Prize for Writing is launched

PanARMENIAN.Net - Stanford University Libraries, in partnership with the William Saroyan Foundation, has launched the fourth William Saroyan International Prize for Writing (Saroyan Prize). Intended to encourage new or emerging writers and honor the Saroyan literary legacy of originality, vitality and stylistic innovation, the Saroyan Prize recognizes newly published works of both fiction and non-fiction. A prize of $5,000 will be awarded in each of these categories.



Literary fiction, including novels, short story collections, and drama, will be eligible for consideration for the Saroyan Fiction Prize. Literary non-fiction of any length is eligible for consideration for the Saroyan Non-fiction Prize, most particularly writing in the Saroyan tradition: memoirs, portraits and excursions into neighborhood and community. Entries in either category are limited to English language publications that are available for individual purchase by the general public. Entries must be received on or before January 31, 2010.



Michael A. Keller, Stanford University Librarian noted "We are excited to once again be awarding The Saroyan Prize. The Saroyan archive is a gem in the Libraries' Special Collections department and we are thrilled to be able to honor Saroyan's legacy through the award." Keller commented on the involvement of Stanford alumni in evaluating entries: "It has proven exciting to bring together a cadre of alumni for the winnowing process. We know that Stanford's alumni appreciate the opportunity for active and continued engagement with emerging literary figures, and we in turn are energized by their engagement and enthusiasm."



The first William Saroyan International Prize for Writing was awarded in 2003 to Jonathan Safran Foer for his novel Everything is Illuminated (Houghton Mifflin, 2002).





The William Saroyan Foundation was founded by the author on December 30, 1966 and remains active under a Board of Trustees. Commencing in 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 in perpetuity one of the rare treasure troves in American literature, carrying on the legacy of Fresno, California's own native son, William Saroyan.