Nominations open for Prairie Grindstone Prize, which will go to a Saskatchewan writer this year

Announcing the second year for The Prairie Grindstone Prize – a literary prize aimed at acknowledging a hard-working and perhaps under-appreciated writer of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction in the prairies.

This annual prize, funded by an anonymous donor committee, is awarded every two years. This year, it is awarded to an engaged Saskatchewan writer and will be awarded in alternate years to an Alberta writer. Last year, Alberta writer Wendy McGrath was the inaugural winner. 

“It’s been an exciting first year reacquainting ourselves with Edmonton bookstores, seeing the prairies through Wendy McGrath’s writing, learning of her research trips and seeing old Edmonton reading series resurrect. You never know the impact of this prize, but it’s thrilling to be a spectator,” says Lisa Murphy Lamb, jury chair for the prize. 

Each year, the winner will receive a cash award of $50,000 that will enable the writer to focus on his/her/their work for a year or more. 

“Pursuing and maintaining a writing career can be incredibly challenging. In the arts industry, it is common for writers to have a ‘day’ job as well to make ends meet,” according to Stacey Walyuchow, marketing and design for the prize. “While money is not the sole motivation for writers, this prize will provide the opportunity to dedicate more time and energy to focus on their writing and have the chance to share their work with others.”

This is not a book prize. It is awarded in acknowledgement of the author’s creation of a body of work of consistent high quality that has contributed to the public’s appreciation for and understanding of Western Canada’s landscape, people, history and culture. 

The writer must be a resident of the province of Saskatchewan for the past five years, must have a minimum of four professionally published books and must be an active member of the local writing community.

Authors may not self nominate and recipients will be selected by a jury of peers. The nomination deadline is April 15.