Million Writers Award was a short storyliterary award presented annually by storySouth[1][2] from 2003 to 2016.[3][4] It honored the best online short stories. The award was structured to be egalitarian allowing for anyone to nominate a story including readers, authors, editors and publishers; prize money was donated by readers and writers; and the winners were selected by public vote from a short-list of entries selected by judges.[5][6]
The Million Writers Award was founded by author Jason Sanford in 2003 at a time when the literary establishment "didn't believe online magazines were legitimate places to publish fiction," seeing it as a fad.[7][8] Sanford set out to honor and highlight online only publications and stories with the award.[8]
Stories eligible for the award include those first published in online literary journals, magazines, and e-zines that have an editorial process.[7] The award had a variable cash prize, in 2011 for example it was $600 for the winner, $200 for the runner-up and $100 for third place.[5] Prize money was raised through donations from writers, editors and readers and thus fluctuates each year.[5] Anyone could nominate up to one story, while editors and publishers can nominate three stories. Stories must be at least 1000 words.[5]
The award became one of the premier online literary awards and was named a Hot Site by USA Today.[9] The award was profiled in a six-page feature interview with editor Jason Sanford in the 2005 Novel and Short Story Writer's Market[10] and mentioned in The 100 Best Trends, 2006: Emerging Developments You Can't Afford to Ignore as an example of the emerging online literary movement.[11]
In 2012 Spotlight Publishing released two anthologies of stories from the Million Writers Award, with one focused on literary stories and the other on science fiction and fantasy stories.[12][13][1]
^"Personal Views: Jason Sanford On the Million Writers Award" by Mary Cox, 2005 Novel and Short Story Writer's Market Writer's Digest Books, 2004, p. 23.
^The 100 Best Trends, 2006: Emerging Developments You Can't Afford to Ignore by George Ochoa and Melinda Corey, Adams Media Corporation, 2005, p. 55.