{{Short description|British literary award}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Infobox award | name = BBC National Short Story Award | current_awards = | image = | imagesize = | caption = | awarded_for = Best short story by a UK national or resident | sponsor = [[BBC Radio 4]] with ''[[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]]'' | venue = | presenter = BBC (formerly [[National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts]]) | country = United Kingdom | former name = National Short Story Award (2006–2007) | network = [[BBC Radio 4]] | holder = ''Ghost Kitchen'', [[Ross Raisin]] (2024) | year = 2006 | year2 = | website = {{URL|https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079gw3|BBC National Short Story Award}} }}The '''BBC National Short Story Award''' (known as the '''National Short Story Award''' in 2006 and 2007) has been described as "one of the most prestigious [awards] for a single short story"<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=London Met alum shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award {{!}} News from the School of Art, Architecture and Design|date=14 September 2020 |url=https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/news/articles/london-met-alum-shortlisted-for-the-bbc-national-short-story-award/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=London Metropolitan University}}</ref> and the [[List of the world's richest literary prizes|richest prize in the world for a single short story]]. It is an annual short story contest in the [[United Kingdom]] which is open to UK residents and nationals. As of 2017, the winner receives {{Currency|15,000|GBP|linked=no}} and four shortlisted writers receive {{Currency|600|GBP|linked=no}} each.

== Award and history == The BBC National Short Story Award is an annual short story contest in the [[United Kingdom]] which is open to UK residents and nationals.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 – BBC National Short Story Award – The 2016 Award |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2YnlfzMWv242HnQJLTcPLgR/the-2016-award |access-date=16 May 2024 |website=BBC |language=en-GB |issn=2421-3667}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Ezard |first=John |date=4 April 2006 |title=Richest short story competition draws huge entry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/apr/04/books.booksnews |access-date=27 April 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]] |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> It aims to increase interest in the [[short story]] genre, particularly [[British people|British]] short stories.<ref name=":12" /> As of 2017, the winner receives {{Currency|15,000|GBP|linked=no}} and four shortlisted writers receive {{Currency|600|GBP|linked=no}} each.<ref name=":102">{{Cite web |date=15 September 2017 |title=The BBC National Short Story Award Shortlist |url=https://granta.com/twelfth-bbc-national-short-story-award-shortlist/ |access-date=28 April 2024 |website=[[Granta (magazine)|Granta]] |language=en-US |issn=0017-3231}}</ref><ref name=":153">{{Cite web |title=Lucy Caldwell wins 16th BBC National Short Story Award |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2021/national-short-story-award-winner |date=19 October 2021 |access-date=28 April 2024 |website=BBC |language=en |issn=2421-3667}}</ref> The award has been described as "one of the most prestigious [awards] for a single short story"<ref name=":1" /> and the [[List of the world's richest literary prizes|richest prize in the world for a single short story]].<ref name="lea2">{{cite news |author=Lea |first=Richard |date=4 July 2008 |title=Field narrows in race for richest story award |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jul/04/nationalshortstoryprize?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 |access-date=29 September 2012 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> However, between 2010 and 2021, the [[Sunday Times Short Story Award|''Sunday Times'' EFG Private Bank Short Story Award]] was greater, at {{currency|30,000|GBP|linked=no}}.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |author=[[Staff writer]] |date=19 February 2012 |title=OMG: Text speak short story in running for £30,000 prize |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9090753/OMG-Text-speak-short-story-in-running-for-30000-prize.html |access-date=January 22, 2013 |newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]}}</ref>

It was founded in 2005 and announced at the [[Edinburgh International Book Festival]] the same year.<ref name=":22">{{Cite news |last=Edemariam |first=Aida |author-link=Aida Edemariam |date=24 August 2005 |title=Keep it brief |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/aug/24/edinburghfestival2005.edinburghfestival |access-date=28 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The [[National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts]] (NESTA) were the main sponsor, with support from [[BBC Radio 4]] and ''[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]'' magazine.<ref name=":18" /> Originally, winners received {{Currency|15000|GBP|linked=no}} while runners up received {{Currency|3000|GBP|linked=no}} and shortlisted writers {{Currency|500|GBP|linked=no}} each.<ref name="lea2" /><ref name=":22" /> In 2008, the BBC became the main sponsor and the award was renamed from the "National Short Story Award" to the "BBC National Short Story Award".<ref name=":18" />

To mark the tenth anniversary, in 2015, the [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2cslf9QxZKznVCqplBS0SY0/submissions-now-closed-for-the-2025-bbc-young-writers-award BBC Young Writers' Award] was launched, challenging 14-18-year-olds to write a story of up to 1,000 words. The winner of the Young Writers' Award is announced alongside the National Short Story Award winner.

==Winners and shortlisted writers== {{Main|List of BBC National Short Story Award winners}}In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=27 November 2009 |title=All-female shortlist for BBC National Short Story award |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/27/all-female-shortlist-bbc-national-short-story |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bury |first=Liz |date=20 September 2013 |title=All-woman shortlist for BBC short story award 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/20/bbc-short-story-shortlist-2013-woman |access-date=28 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=14 September 2018 |title=BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/14/bbc-short-story-prize-selects-all-female-shortlist-for-fifth-time |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In 2018, prize judge [[Di Speirs]] noted that the BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist.<ref name=":19">{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=14 September 2018 |title=BBC short story prize selects all-female shortlist for fifth time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/14/bbc-short-story-prize-selects-all-female-shortlist-for-fifth-time |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Short stories written by women typically account for between 50 and 70 percent of all submissions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 - BBC National Short Story Award - What I've learned from 15 years of the BBC National Short Story Award |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2wv0zWqG7RDyXYkY0JPn7RC/what-ive-learned-from-15-years-of-the-bbc-national-short-story-award |first=Di|last=Spiers|interviewer=Sophie Haydock|access-date=2024-07-23 |website=BBC |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

At 26 years of age, Canadian writer [[D. W. Wilson]] became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011.<ref name=":28">{{Cite news |date=26 September 2011 |title=DW Wilson is youngest winner of BBC Short Story prize |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-15063364 |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=BBC |language=en-GB |issn=2421-3667}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Macdonald |first=Fleur |date=28 September 2011 |title=Youngest-ever winner of the National BBC Short Story Award |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/youngest-ever-winner-of-the-national-bbc-short-story-award/ |access-date=12 May 2024 |website=The Spectator |language=en-US |issn=0038-6952}}</ref> In 2020, [[Sarah Hall (writer)|Sarah Hall]], who won the award in 2013 and 2020, became the first writer to have won the award twice.<ref name=":27">{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=6 October 2020 |title='Master' of short story Sarah Hall becomes first to win BBC prize twice |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/oct/06/master-of-short-story-sarah-hall-becomes-first-to-win-bbc-prize-twice |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In 2012, in honour of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] hosted in [[London]], the competition was open to a global audience for one year only.<ref name="flood2012a2">{{cite web |author=Alison Flood |date=14 September 2012 |title=Deborah Levy joins shortlist for BBC international short story award |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/14/shortlist-bbc-international-short-story-award |access-date=14 September 2012 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer [[Miroslav Penkov]] won.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 December 2011 |title=BBC short story prize to go global for Olympic year |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-16099142 |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=BBC |language=en-GB |issn=2421-3667}}</ref>

== Sponsorship == Since 2021 the BBC National Short Story Award has been delivered in partnership with a consortium of colleges and other departments at the [[University of Cambridge]], comprising: the School of Arts and Humanities; Faculties of English and Education; University Library; Fitzwilliam Museum; the University of Cambridge Centre for Creative Writing, part of the University of Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education; Robinson College; and Downing College. The partnership is led by Dr Bonnie Lander Johnson and Dr Elizabeth Rawlinson-Mills.

Previous sponsors and partners of the Award are [[First Story]], [[BookTrust]], [[Nesta (charity)|NESTA]], and ''[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]'' magazine.

== Controversies == In 2007, [[BBC Radio 4]] chose not to broadcast the short story "Weddings and Beheadings" by [[Hanif Kureishi]] after a militant group [[Kidnapping of Alan Johnston#Claim of execution|claimed to have executed]] the BBC [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]] correspondent [[Alan Johnston]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Gibson |first=Owen |last2= |first2= |date=2007-04-17 |title=BBC accused of censorship after cancelling short story broadcast |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/17/books.media |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Kureishi argued that this was an act of censorship by the BBC.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079gw3 BBC National Short Story Award]

{{BBC Radio 4}}

[[Category:2005 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Awards established in 2005]] [[Category:BBC awards]] [[Category:British literary awards]] [[Category:Short story awards]]