The standard of the stories submitted for the Writing.ie An Post Book Awards has been exceptional again this year. To reflect that, we have longlisted eighteen stories. Judges Literary Agent Simon Trewin, Bob Johnston from the Gutter Bookshop and author and journalist Edel Coffey, will be now decide on the short list of authors whose stories will be published on Writing.ie to enable you to vote for your favourite – our 2021 winner.
The shortlist will be announced on 21st October 2021, when the stories will be published on Writing.ie and the public will be invited to vote for their favourite story.
The winning story will then be announced on 23rd November 2021 at the An Post Irish Book Awards event. RTE will televise the Awards Show on 8th December.
We are the only category in the An Post Irish Book Awards that publishes a longlist due to the nature of short story awards – and we want to acknowledge the huge talent and breadth of entries. Publishing our longlist does not imply any decisons have been made in any other category.
A note to authors: in order to keep the judging anonymous throughout, please DO NOT share the title of your story on social media etc. The long listed authors are as follows (in no particular order)…
Writing.ie An Post Book Awards Short Story of the Year Longlist 2021
Roddy Doyle
Stuart Neville
Bernard MacLaverty
Aisling Kearney
Tanya Farrelly
Jan Carson
Jamie Guiney
David Butler
Carlo Gébler
Caoilinn Hughes
Sarah Gilmartin
Alan Murrin
Madeleine D’Arcy
Paul McVeigh
Deirdre Sullivan
Nuala O’Connor
Louise Kennedy
Gráinne Daly
Very Highly Commended
Noel King ‘The Derryquay Meander’ from Crannóg Magazine
Jaki McCarrick ‘The Station’ from Seren Press
Dearbhaile Houston ‘Credo’ from Tolka: Issue One
Peter Blair ‘Left-handed Jumpers’ from Same Same but Different, Everything with Words
We wish all the authors the very best of luck!