Submissions to the 2021 Amazon Canada First Novel Award are now closed

Established in 1976, the First Novel Award program has launched the careers of some of Canada’s most beloved novelists. Previous winners include Michael Ondaatje, Joan Barfoot, Joy Kogawa, W. P. Kinsella, Nino Ricci, Rohinton Mistry, Michael Redhill, Mona Awad, Katherena Vermette, and Michael Kaan.

The winner of the Adult Novel Category will receive $60,000, and each of the six finalists will receive $6,000 in prize money. The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words. The winner in this category will receive $5,000 and a mentorship lunch with editors of The Walrus. Submission are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted.

Given the current circumstances, we encourage all publishers who are able to submit their books digitally to help facilitate the judging process, but we will accept all submissions (print or digital) that meet eligibility requirements. Amazon Canada maintains its support of Canadian writers in these difficult times and looks forward to seeing this year’s submissions.

About the Amazon Canada First Novel Award

Adult Novel Category

The winner of the Adult Novel Category will receive $60,000, and each of the six finalists will receive $6,000 in prize money.

Submissions for novels in the Adult Novel Category published between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted.

Youth Short Story Category

The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words. The winner in this category will receive $5,000 and a mentorship lunch with editors of The Walrus. Submissions for the Youth Short Story Category are now closed.

Past Shortlists and Winners

Get in Touch

For more information please contact us at amazoncanadafirstnovelaward@thewalrus.ca or +1 (905)-466-3624.