The Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing celebrate works in three genres—fiction, nonfiction and poetry. A national panel of judges reviews hundreds of nominated books and poems looking for works that ask readers to engage with the complexities of the U.S. South.
Submissions will be accepted July 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026.
Fiction and nonfiction winners receive a cash prize of $12,000. The winner of the poetry category receives $3,000.
Winners also receive an expenses-paid trip to Oxford, Miss., where we celebrate the winning writers as part of the Oxford Conference for the Book (March 31, 2027 - April 2, 2027). During their trip, winners have the chance to read from their work during the conference and meet and learn from other writers. They also enjoy an intimate celebration dinner with judges and other special guests at one of the town’s famed restaurants or a memorable location like Faulkner’s Rowan Oak, the University of Mississippi Museum or the Lyceum.
Eligibility
Books must be published during the submission year (2026) and cannot be self-published. Advanced reader copies or proofs for books that will be published in October, November or December of 2026 are eligible.
You can get a sense of the quality and content of winning books by reading the previous winners listed on our website.
Please note that current University of Mississippi students and employees are not eligible for any of the Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing.
More information and submission portals here.
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