Edge Hill Short Story Prize

The concept for the prize was developed by Professor Ailsa Cox following a 2006 short-story conference at Edge Hill. It is the only prize to recognize a single author, published short-story collection in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.^[1]

Entries must be written in English and published by a UK or Republic of Ireland based publishing company. Authors must be citizens or residents of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.^[2]

Until 2024, the prize had three categories: the main Edge Hill Short Story Prize for a short story collection, the Readers' Choice Award for a single story from one of the shortlisted collections, voted for by students of the university, and a prize for the best short story submitted by a student of the university.^[1][3]

From 2025, the Readers' Choice award was discontinued. The three prize categories became: the Edge Hill Short Story Prize of £10,000 for the best short story collection, the Debut Collection Prize of £1,000 for the best debut collection in the shortlist, and the PGR Creative Writing award of £500 for a story written by an Edge Hill student undertaking postgraduate research in creative writing.^[1][4]

Rodge Glass, previously senior lecturer in creative writing at Edge Hill, edited an anthology of selected stories from winners and shortlisted authors to celebrate the award's first ten years. Titled Head Land: 10 Years of the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, it was published in 2017.^[5]

Each year, the judging panel consists of three individuals who are supporters of the short story through writing or the creative industries, or have connections with the university.

Colm Toibin was the first winner of the Edge Hill Short Story Prize in 2007.^[6] His winning collection, Mothers and Sons, explores the family relationships of several individuals during significant times in their lives.^[7] The following year Claire Keegan won the prize with her collection entitled Walk the Blue Fields.^[8] The collection's stories illustrate the yearning of the human heart against the backdrop of a nation wrestling with its past.^[9] The 2009 prize was awarded to Chris Beckett for The Turing Test.^[10] This science fiction collection captures readers' attention with tales about robots, alien planets, genetic manipulation, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.^[11] Jeremy Dyson won the 2010 prize for his third short story collection The Cranes that Build the Cranes. A compilation of ghoulish stories, The Cranes that Build the Cranes is full of black humour and dark stories that received significant praise from critics.^[12] In 2011 judges awarded the prize to Professor Graham Mort for his collection entitled Touch.^[13] The stories in Touch are set in a variety of backgrounds including Africa, France, and northern England, and they convey an understanding and respect of the natural world and human relationships.^[14] Sarah Hall's The Beautiful Indifference won the prize in 2012.^[15] The collection includes erotic and disarming stories that span across centuries and diverse landscapes, all emphasizing the importance of survivalism.^[16] Dark Lies the Island by Kevin Barry was awarded the prize in 2013.^[17] This collection explores the tragedies and comedies of everyday life, and includes moving tales of misspent love and crimes gone wrong.^[18] The 2014 prize was given to John Burnside for his collection entitled Something Like Happy.^[19] Stories in Something Like Happy are often set in coastal towns during the winter, and include tales of menace, violence, and hallucinations.^[20] The 2015 prize was awarded to Professor Kirsty Gunn for Infidelities.^[21] The collection centres on stories of infidelity and includes tales of lust, love, resentment, and regret.^[22]

Winning authors are announced and honoured at an award ceremony each year. Furthermore, Edge Hill University hosts a public reading, during which the prize recipient reads from the winning collection.