Drue Heinz Literature Prize
The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of literary short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. The Prize is open to authors who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas.
Manuscripts are judged anonymously by internationally known writers. Past judges have included Ann Patchett, Richard Russo, Robert Penn Warren, Joyce Carol Oates, Raymond Carver, Margaret Atwood, Russell Banks, Michael Chabon, Rick Moody, Joan Didion, Manuel Muñoz, Deesha Philyaw, and Quan Barry.
Prize winners receive a cash prize of $25,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and support in the worldwide promotion of their book.
Read our Feb. 2026 press release on changes to the prize here.
See the 2026 winner Those Who Vanish by Patricia Grace King (announced here in January) and pre-order the forthcoming book here.
2025 DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE
Selected by Manuel Muñoz
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A Place in the World
These are captivating stories that reveal how intertwined we really are with our past selves. A fantastic collection about facing up to the ghosts of our mistakes and our fears, and how our secrets refuse to let us forget who we were and what we’ve done.
