The PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowship for Writers honors exceptionally talented fiction writers whose debut work—a first novel or collection of short stories published in 2010—represents distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise. One PEN/Robert Bingham Fellow will be selected by a panel of three writers or editors who are PEN members.

The winner receives a cash award of $35,000, a stipend intended to permit a significant degree of leisure in which to pursue a second work of literary fiction. The Robert Bingham Fellow is also encouraged to become an active participant in the PEN community and its programs advancing literature, free expression, and the worldwide PEN community of writers.

The PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowships were established in memory of Robert Bingham, who died in 1999 at the age of 33, to commemorate his support of young writers, his love of literature, and his contribution to literary fiction.

Past fellows: Carolyn Cooke, Matthew Klam, Manil Suri, Jonathan Safran Foer, Monique Truong, Will Heinrich, Christopher Coake, Janna Levin, Dalia Sofer, and Donald Ray Pollock

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Who is eligible:
To be eligible, a candidate’s first (and only the first) novel or first collection of short fiction must have been published by a U.S. trade publisher between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. Candidates must be U.S. residents; American citizenship is not required. There are no restrictions on the candidate’s age or on the style of his or her work.

Nominations:
Nominations are welcome from any source: writers, editors, literary agents, or members of the literary community at large. One need not be a member of PEN to submit a nomination. Self-published books are not eligible.

Deadline:
Nominations must be received between September 1, 2010 and February 3, 2011. Early submissions are strongly recommended.

How to apply:
1) Pay the $50 entry fee online and proceed to checkout. If paying by check, skip to step 2.

2) Fill out the online submission form and click “Submit Form.”

3) Mail three copies of the candidate's book, your printed submission form, and proof of online payment or a check to:

PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowship for Writers
PEN American Center
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012

Submission fees will be waived for publishers whose annual net sales do not exceed $4 million.

For more information, please contact awards@pen.org or (212) 334-1660 ext. 122.

http://www.pen.org/
http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/279

Click on the link above and go to the contest official site