Literary award · Canada · since 1994

Giller Prize

Canadian literary award. Established 1994 in Canada.

About Giller Prize

The Giller Prize (formerly known as the Scotiabank Giller Prize from 2005 to 2025) is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competition between publishers who submit entries. The prize was established in 1994 by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife Doris Giller, a former literary editor at the Toronto Star, and is awarded in November of each year along with a cash reward (then CAN$25,000) with the winner being presented by the previous year's winning author. Since its inception, the Giller Prize has been awarded to emerging and established authors from both small independent and large publishing houses in Canada.

From the Wikipedia article “Giller Prize”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Recent winners

YearWinnerWinning work
2021Omar El AkkadWhat Strange Paradise
2019Ian WilliamsNone
2018Esi EdugyanWashington Black
2017Michael RedhillBellevue Square
2016Madeleine ThienDo Not Say We Have Nothing
2015André AlexisFifteen Dogs
2014Sean MichaelsUs Conductors
2013Lynn CoadyHellgoing
2011Esi EdugyanHalf-Blood Blues
2010Johanna SkibsrudThe Sentimentalists
2009Margaret AtwoodThe Year of the Flood

From Wikidata; the list may be incomplete for some years.

Eligibility and entering

Check the official rules of the Giller Prize for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.

Sources & data