First Novelist Award

The VCU Cabell First Novelist Award is an American literary award for debut novels. It has been presented annually since 2002 on behalf of Virginia Commonwealth University's MFA in Creative Writing Program.

Nominations are solicited from MFA programs nationwide as well as from publishers, editors, agents, and writers. The prize includes $5000 cash and participation in an on-campus event in Richmond, Va. at VCU that focuses on the creation, publication, and promotion processes involved with a first novel. The award is more formally known as the "Virginia Commonwealth University Cabell First Novelist Award."

History

The award was created in 2001 by playwright Laura Browder and novelist Tom De Haven. In addition, Richmond writer and VCU alumnus David Baldacci funded and supported the fledgling award in its early years. In 2007, VCU Libraries became a partner with the VCU Department of English in offering the award, and helping fund the prize and a fellowship for a graduate student to oversee the award process. When the James Branch Cabell Library Associates began contributing generous financial support, the award was named for James Branch Cabell (1879-1958), a Richmond writer who gained a national reputation and is best known today as a pioneer in fantasy fiction. Current sponsors are the VCU Department of English, James Branch Cabell Library Associates, the VCU Honors College, Barnes & Noble at the VCU Bookstore, and the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences.

Created to recognize a rising new talent in the literary world who has successfully published a first novel, nominations are solicited nationwide from publishers, editors, agents, and writers. A panel of readers narrows the field to the four or five most promising new works of fiction. From that short list, three prominent judges, including the winner of the previous year’s award, choose the recipient of the Cabell First Novelist Award.[1]

The award is presented at the annual Cabell First Novelist Night. During this event, VCU brings together the newly published author and his or her agent and editor for a reading and a panel that focuses on the creation, publication, and marketing processes involved with a first novel. Earlier in the day, the itinerary includes a luncheon and a visit with a graduate fiction workshop. The public reading, followed by a Q&A session and other events, draw together MFA and undergraduate writers, the VCU and Richmond literary communities, and the general public. Travel expenses to Richmond and lodging accommodations for the author, agent, and editor are provided, as well as a $5000 cash prize for the author.[2]

Previous winners
gollark: They're not necessary. They could just assign non-essay work.
gollark: Essays < most things.
gollark: Yes, the best way for the evil antimale conspiracy to act was to distribute a vaccine with very rare side effects not discovered in the clinical trials which manifest more in young men.
gollark: You don't actually need general human-level robotics for lots of automation, at least, if you redesign the environment into something which can be handled more easily.
gollark: Robotics seems to be advancing slowly compared to other AI, so it may end up being the case that physical labour is costlier than lots of intellectual work for a while, which would be really weird.

References

Notes

  1. "VCU Cabell First Novelist Award". VCU Libraries Gallery. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  2. "About". VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
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