The Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) is preparing to celebrate another successful year with the 2025 Alberta Literary Awards. Writers from across Alberta and their publishers are invited to check out and submit to this year’s award categories.
The deadline for submissions to the Alberta Literary Awards was December 2, 2024 but has been extended to December 9th, 2024. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANADA POST STRIKE AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE AWARDS INTAKE SEASON, PLEASE VIEW OUR POST.
Submissions are evaluated on originality, creativity, and quality of writing, as well as appropriate fit within a category. The winners will be announced next spring.
The Alberta Literary Awards were created by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta in 1982 to recognize excellence in writing by Alberta authors.
Our awards FAQ provides answers to common questions about the guidelines. Please send all other questions to the Writers’ Guild of Alberta’s head office.
The 2025 Alberta Literary Awards Categories
Prizes of $1500 will be awarded to published entries in the following categories:
- R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature (picture books published in 2023 or 2024)
- Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction
- Wilfrid Eggleston Award for Nonfiction
- Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry
- Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama
- Memoir Award (nonfiction)
Prizes of $700 will be awarded to unpublished and published entries in the following categories:
- James H. Gray Award for Short Nonfiction
- Howard O’Hagan Award for Short Story
- Jon Whyte Memorial Essay Award (unpublished)
Award submissions can also be entered to qualify for the following city book prize:
- The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize ($5,000 prize)
- The Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize (The primary prize recipient will be awarded $15,000, and two secondary prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to the runners up.) The Edmonton Book Prize is now part of the Edmonton Arts Prizes.
Golden Pen Award
The WGA will also be accepting nominations for the Golden Pen Award. Golden Pen nominations can be submitted online at: writersguild.ca/golden-pen-nomination-form.
Sponsors, Funders and Supporters
The Writers’ Guild of Alberta gratefully acknowledges the sponsors, supporters and funders of the 2024 Alberta Literary Awards:
Supporters & Sponsors:
- Scott Saxberg
- Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society
- Audreys Books
- Adriana and Stephan Benediktson
- Vivian Hansen
- The Haynes Family – In Memory of Dr. Sterling Haynes
- Marilyn and Bob Stallworthy
- Under the Arch Youth Foundation at the Calgary Foundation
- Aritha van Herk
Funders:
