Do you think writers have it tough? Do you think they are crunched for money? Only until they strike gold. Winning one of these awards will make them rich overnight.
1. Nobel Prize in Literature
It is awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Alfred Nobel, produced “in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction”.
Prize Money: kr 8,000,000 (Around $1,100,000)
Recent Winner: Patrick Modiano
2. Premio Planeta de Novela
It is a Spanish literary prize, awarded since 1952 by the Spanish publisher Grupo Planeta to an original novel written in Spanish (Castilian).
Prize Money: €601000 (Around $700000)
Recent Winner: Jorge Zepeda Patterson
3. Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
It is an international children’s literary award established by the Swedish government in 2002 to honor the Swedish children’s author Astrid Lindgren.
Prize Money: kr 5,000,000(Around $640000)
Recent Winner: Barbro Lindgren
4. International Ibsen Award
It honors an individual, institution or organization that has brought new artistic dimensions to the world of drama or theater.
Prize Money: kr 2,500,000 (Around $320,000)
Recent Winner: Peter Handke
5. Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature
It is an Arabic literary award for children’s literature. The prize money is split with 50% divided between the author and/or illustrator, and 50% to the publisher.
Prize Money: AD 1000000 (Around $272000)
Recent Winner: Afaf Tobala, Mariam Al Rashedi, Doniazad Saade, Noura Al Noman
6. Carlos Fuentes International Prize for Literary Creation in the Spanish Language
It is a literary award established in 2012 by the Mexican government in honor of Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes.
Prize Money: $250000
Recent Winner: Sergio Ramírez
7. Sheikh Zayed Book Award
It is presented yearly to Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talent whose writings and translations of humanities have scholarly and objectively enriched Arab cultural, literary and social life.
Prize Money: AD 777,777 (Around $211000)
Recent Winners: Jawdat Fakhr Eldine, Rami Abu Shihab, Mohammed Al Tahir Al Mansouri, Abdel Rasheed Mahmoudi, Mario Liverani
8. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation
It is a Saudi international literary award for the translation of works to/from Arabian.
Prize Money: $200000
Recent Winners: ZHU Weilie and Hannelore Lee-Jahnke
9. Miguel de Cervantes Prize
It is awarded annually to honour the lifetime achievement of an outstanding writer in the Spanish language.
Prize Money: €125,000 (Around $150000)
Recent Winner: Juan Goytisolo
10. RBA International Prize for Crime Writing
It is a Spanish literary award said to be the world’s most lucrative crime fiction prize funded by Barcelona-based multimedia publishing company RBA.
Prize Money: €125,000 (Around $150000)
Recent Winner: Arnaldur Indridason
11. Donald Windham Sandy M. Campbell Literature Prizes
It is an American literary award which was established at Yale University in 2011 with the first prizes presented in 2013.
Prize Money: $150000
Recent Winner: John Vaillant, Pankaj Mishra, Aminatta Forna, Jim Crace, Nadeem Aslam
12. Lannan Literary Awards
They are a series of awards and literary fellowships given out in various fields by the Lannan Foundation.
Prize Money: $150000
Recent Winner: Claudia Rankine
13. FIL Literary Award in Romance Languages
The award acknowledges lifetime achievement and is awarded to writers of literature from Latin America or the Caribbean who write in Spanish, Portuguese, French, or English, or to writers from any part of the US who write in Spanish.
Prize Money: $150000
Recent Winner: Claudio Magris
14. Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize
The purpose of this prize is to “perpetuate and honor the work of the eminent novelist and also to stimulate the creative activity of Spanish language writers”.
Prize Money: Eduardo Lalo
Recent Winner: €100,000 (Around $120000)
15. International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
It is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC.
Prize Money: €100,000 (Around $120000)
Recent Winner: Juan Gabriel Vásquez
16. Camões Prize
It is awarded annually by the Portuguese Fundação Biblioteca Nacional (National Library Foundation) and the Brazilian Departamento Nacional do Livro (National Book Department) to the author of an outstanding work written in Portuguese.
Prize Money: €100,000 (Around $120000)
Recent Winner: Alberto da Costa e Silva
17. Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards
It was created by the Victorian Government with the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia’s publishing industry.
Prize Money: A$125,000 ($100000)
Recent Winner: Jennifer Maiden
18. Nigeria Prizes for Science and Literature
The prize describes itself as “bringing Nigerian scientists and authors to public attention and celebrating excellence in scientific breakthroughs and literary craftsmanship in the nation.”
Prize Money: $100000
Recent Winner: Sam Ukala
If you thought there are only so many of them, you are wrong. The list will be continued in Part 2. You can read the Part 2 here.
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