The Astounding Award for Best New Writer (formerly the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer) is given annually to the best new writer whose first professional work of science fiction or fantasy was published within the two previous calendar years.[1] It is named after Astounding Science Fiction (now Analog Science Fiction and Fact), a foundational science fiction magazine. The award is sponsored by Dell Magazines, which publishes Analog.[1]

Quick Facts The Award for Best New Writer, Awarded for ...
The Astounding Award for Best New Writer
Thumb
Pin given to all winners and nominees
Awarded forThe best new writer whose first professional work of science fiction or fantasy was published within the two previous calendar years.
Presented byWorld Science Fiction Society
First awarded1973
Most recent winnerXiran Jay Zhao
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Ada Palmer accepting the 2017 award

Between its founding in 1973 and 2019, the award was named after Astounding's long-time editor John W. Campbell, one of the most influential figures in the early history of science fiction.[2][3] In the aftermath of 2019 winner Jeannette Ng's acceptance speech, in which she described Campbell as a fascist, the science fiction fandom community discussed whether it was appropriate to continue honoring Campbell in this way;[4] the editor of Analog subsequently announced that the award had been renamed.[3]

The nomination and selection process is administered by the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), represented by the current Worldcon committee, and the award is presented at the Hugo Award ceremony at the Worldcon, although it is not itself a Hugo Award.[5] All nominees receive a pin, while the winner receives a plaque. Beginning in 2005, the award has also included a tiara; created at the behest of 2004 winner Jay Lake and 2005 winner Elizabeth Bear, the tiara is passed from each year's winner to the next.[6][7][8]

Eligibility and voting

Writers are eligible for the Astounding Award for two years, and become eligible once they have a work of science fiction or fantasy published in a professional publication. Final decisions on eligibility are decided by the Hugo Administrators while qualification criteria are set by the sponsor, Dell Magazine. The eligibility criteria for what counts as a professional publication are roughly similar to those of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA).[9] As of 2023, qualifying publications must meet at least one of the following criteria: be accepted by SFWA; have at least 10,000 readers; pay the writer at least 8 cents a word and a total of at least US$80; or be self-published or published through a small press, with earnings for the author of at least US$3,000 in one year.[10]

Members of the current and previous Worldcon are eligible to nominate new writers under the same procedures as the Hugo Awards.[11] Initial nominations are made by members in January through March, at which point a shortlist is made of the six most-nominated writers—five prior to 2017—with additional nominees possible in the case of ties. Voting on the ballot of six nominations is performed roughly in April through July, subject to change depending on when that year's Worldcon is held.[12]

Works by winners and nominees of the award were collected in the New Voices series of anthologies, edited by George R. R. Martin, which had five volumes covering the awards from 1973 through 1977 and which were published between 1977 and 1984.[13] Michael A. Burstein, who was nominated in 1996 and won in 1997, commented that the largest effect of winning or being nominated is not on sales but instead that it gives credibility with established authors and publishers.[14] Criticism has been raised about the award that due to the eligibility requirements it honors writers who become well-known quickly, rather than necessarily the best or most influential authors from a historical perspective.[1]

Over the 52 years the award has been active, 218 writers have been nominated. Of these, 53 authors have won, including one tie. There have been 60 writers who were nominated twice, 21 of whom won the award in their second nomination.

Winners and nominees

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Jerry Pournelle with the first award at the 1973 Hugo Awards Banquet

In the following table, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony, rather than the year when the writer's eligible work was first published. Each year links to the corresponding "year in literature". Although the award is not given explicitly for any particular work, and such works are not recorded by the World Science Fiction Society or Dell Magazines, a selection of works that the writer in question published in the eligibility period are listed. This list includes novels and short stories, and is not intended to be comprehensive. Entries with a yellow background and an asterisk (*) next to the writer's name have won the award; those with a gray background are the other nominees on the shortlist.

  *   Winners and joint winners

More information Year, Writer ...
Winners and nominees
Year Writer[5] Work(s) Ref
1973 Jerry Pournelle*"Peace with Honor", A Spaceship for the King [15]
George Alec Effinger"The Eight Thirty to Nine Slot", What Entropy Means to Me [16]
Ruth Berman"Stretch of Time" [17]
George R. R. Martin"The Hero" [18]
Robert Thurston"Stop Me before I Tell More" [19]
Lisa Tuttle"Stranger in the House" [20]
1974 Spider Robinson*"The Guy with the Eyes" [21]
Lisa Tuttle*"Stranger in the House" [20]
Jesse Miller"Pigeon City" [22]
Thomas F. Monteleone"Wendigo's Child" [23]
Guy SnyderTestament XXI [24]
1975 P. J. Plauger*"Epicycle" [25]
Alan Brennert"Nostalgia Tripping" [26]
Suzy McKee CharnasWalk to the End of the World [27]
Felix C. Gotschalk"Outer Concentric", "The Examination" [28]
Brenda Pearce"Hot Spot" [29]
John Varley"Picnic on Nearside" [30]
1976 Tom Reamy*"Twilla", "San Diego Lightfoot Sue" [31]
John Varley"Picnic on Nearside" [30]
Arsen Darnay"The Splendid Freedom", "Helium" [32]
Joan D. VingeTin Soldier [33]
M. A. FosterThe Warriors of Dawn [34]
1977 C. J. Cherryh*Gate of Ivrel [35]
Jack L. ChalkerA Jungle of Stars [36]
M. A. FosterThe Warriors of Dawn [34]
Carter Scholz"Closed Circuit" [37]
1978 Orson Scott Card*"Ender's Game" [38]
Stephen R. DonaldsonLord Foul's Bane [39]
Jack L. ChalkerA Jungle of Stars [36]
Elizabeth A. Lynn"We All Have to Go" [40]
Bruce Sterling"Man-Made Self", Involution Ocean [41]
1979 Stephen R. Donaldson*Lord Foul's Bane [39]
James P. HoganInherit the Stars [42]
Elizabeth A. Lynn"We All Have to Go" [40]
Cynthia Felice"Longshanks", Godsfire [43]
Barry B. Longyear"The Tryouts" [44]
Charles Sheffield"What Song the Sirens Sang" [45]
1980 Barry B. Longyear*"The Tryouts", Enemy Mine [44]
Somtow Sucharitkul"Sunsteps" [46]
Diane DuaneThe Door into Fire [47]
Lynn AbbeyDaughter of the Bright Moon [48]
Karen G. Jollie"The Works of His Hand, Made Manifest" [49]
Alan Ryan"Dragon Story" [50]
1981 Somtow Sucharitkul*"Sunsteps" [46]
Robert L. Forward"The Singing Diamond", Dragon's Egg [51]
Susan C. Petrey"Spareen Among the Tartars" [52]
Diane DuaneThe Door into Fire [47]
Robert StallmanThe Orphan [53]
Kevin Christensen"A Dragon in the Man" [54]
1982 Alexis A. Gilliland*The Revolution from Rosinante, Long Shot for Rosinante [55]
Robert StallmanThe Orphan [53]
David BrinSundiver [56]
Paul O. WilliamsThe Breaking of Northwall, The Ends of the Circle [57]
Michael Swanwick"The Feast of St Janis", "Ginungagap" [58]
1983 Paul O. Williams*The Breaking of Northwall, The Ends of the Circle [57]
Lisa GoldsteinThe Red Magician [59]
David R. Palmer"Emergence" [60]
Joseph H. Delaney"Brainchild" [61]
Sandra MieselDreamrider [62]
Warren NorwoodAn Image of Voices [63]
1984 R. A. MacAvoy*Tea with the Black Dragon [64]
Joseph H. Delaney"Brainchild", "In the Face of My Enemy" [61]
Lisa GoldsteinThe Red Magician [59]
Warren NorwoodAn Image of Voices, Flexing the Warp [63]
Sheri S. TepperKing's Blood Four [65]
Joel RosenbergThe Sleeping Dragon [66]
1985 Lucius Shepard*"The Taylorsville Reconstruction" [67]
Melissa ScottThe Game Beyond [68]
Geoffrey A. Landis"Elemental" [69]
Elissa Malcohn"Lazuli" [70]
Bradley Denton"Music of the Spheres" [71]
Ian McDonald"The Islands of the Dead" [72]
1986 Melissa Scott*The Game Beyond [68]
Guy Gavriel KayThe Summer Tree [73]
Carl SaganContact [74]
Karen Joy Fowler"Recalling Cinderella" [75]
Tad WilliamsTailchaser's Song [76]
David Zindell"Shanidar" [77]
1987 Karen Joy Fowler*"Recalling Cinderella", "Face Value" [75]
Lois McMaster BujoldShards of Honor [78]
Katharine Eliska KimbrielFire Sanctuary [79]
Rebecca Ore"Projectile Weapons and Wild Alien Water" [80]
Leo FrankowskiThe Cross-Time Engineer [81]
Robert Reed"Mudpuppies" [82]
1988 Judith Moffett*"Surviving", Pennterra [83]
Rebecca Ore"Projectile Weapons and Wild Alien Water" [80]
Martha Soukup"Dress Rehearsal" [84]
C. S. FriedmanIn Conquest Born [85]
Loren J. MacGregorThe Net [86]
1989 Michaela Roessner*Walkabout Woman [87]
Delia ShermanThrough a Brazen Mirror [88]
Christopher HinzLiege-Killer [89]
Kristine Kathryn Rusch"Sing" [90]
Melanie RawnDragon Prince [91]
P. J. Beese The Guardsman [92]
Todd Cameron Hamilton
William SandersJourney to Fusang [93]
1990 Kristine Kathryn Rusch*"Sing" [90]
Allen Steele"Live from the Mars Hotel", Orbital Decay [94]
Nancy A. CollinsSunglasses After Dark [95]
John G. CramerTwistor [96]
Katherine NevilleThe Eight [97]
1991 Julia Ecklar*"The Music Box", The Kobayashi Maru [98]
Nancy A. CollinsSunglasses After Dark [95]
John G. CramerTwistor [96]
Michael KandelStrange Invasion, In Between Dragons [99]
Scott Cupp"Thirteen Days of Glory" [100]
1992 Ted Chiang*"Tower of Babylon", "Understand" [101]
Laura Resnick"No Room for the Unicorn" [102]
Barbara Delaplace"Wings" [103]
Michelle SagaraInto the Dark Lands [104]
Greer Ilene GilmanMoonwise [105]
1993 Laura Resnick*"No Room for the Unicorn" [102]
Nicholas A. DiChario"The Winterberry" [106]
Barbara Delaplace"Wings" [103]
Michelle SagaraInto the Dark Lands [104]
Holly LisleFire in the Mist [107]
Carrie Richerson"Apotheosis" [108]
1994 Amy Thomson*Virtual Girl [109]
Holly LisleFire in the Mist [107]
Carrie Richerson"Apotheosis" [108]
Elizabeth WilleyThe Well-Favored Man [110]
Jack Nimersheim"A Fireside Chat" [111]
1995 Jeff Noon*Vurt [112]
Felicity Savage"Ash Minette" [113]
Linda J. Dunn"Sibling Rivalry" [114]
David FeintuchMidshipman's Hope [115]
Daniel Marcus"Heart of Molten Stone" [116]
1996 David Feintuch*Midshipman's Hope, Challenger's Hope [115]
Felicity Savage"Ash Minette" [113]
Michael A. Burstein"TeleAbsence" [117]
Sharon ShinnThe Shape-Changer's Wife [118]
Tricia SullivanLethe [119]
1997 Michael A. Burstein*"TeleAbsence" [117]
Sharon ShinnThe Shape-Changer's Wife [118]
Richard GarfinkleCelestial Matters [120]
Raphael CarterThe Fortunate Fall [121]
Katya ReimannWind From a Foreign Sky [122]
1998 Mary Doria Russell*The Sparrow [123]
Susan R. MatthewsAn Exchange of Hostages [124]
Andy Duncan"Beluthahatchie" [125]
Richard GarfinkleCelestial Matters [120]
Raphael CarterThe Fortunate Fall [121]
1999 Nalo Hopkinson*Brown Girl in the Ring [126]
Kage BakerIn the Garden of Iden [127]
Julie E. Czerneda"First Contact" [128]
Susan R. MatthewsAn Exchange of Hostages [124]
James Van Pelt"The Big One" [129]
2000 Cory Doctorow*"Craphound" [130]
Ellen Klages"Time Gypsy" [131]
Shane Tourtellotte"I Don't Know and I Don't Care" [132]
Kristine SmithCode of Conduct [133]
Thomas HarlanThe Shadow of Ararat [134]
2001 Kristine Smith*Code of Conduct [133]
Jo WaltonThe King's Peace [135]
Thomas HarlanThe Shadow of Ararat [134]
Douglas Smith"State of Disorder" [136]
James L. Cambias"A Diagram of Rapture" [137]
2002 Jo Walton*The King's Peace [135]
Alexander C. Irvine"Rossetti Song" [138]
Ken WhartonDivine Intervention [139]
Wen SpencerAlien Taste [140]
Tobias S. Buckell"Fish Merchant" [141]
2003 Wen Spencer*Alien Taste [140]
Charles Coleman Finlay"The Political Officer" [142]
Ken WhartonDivine Intervention [139]
Karin LowacheeWarchild [143]
David D. Levine"Nucleon" [144]
2004 Jay Lake*"Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" [145]
David D. Levine"Nucleon" [144]
Karin LowacheeWarchild [143]
Tim Pratt"Little Gods" [146]
Chris MoriartySpin State [147]
2005 Elizabeth Bear*Hammered [148]
Steph SwainstonThe Year of Our War [149]
K. J. BishopThe Etched City [150]
Chris Roberson"O One" [151]
David Moles"The Third Party" [152]
2006 John Scalzi*Old Man's War [153]
K. J. BishopThe Etched City [150]
Sarah MonetteMélusine [154]
Chris Roberson"O One", Here, There & Everywhere [151]
Brandon SandersonElantris [155]
Steph SwainstonThe Year of Our War [149]
2007 Naomi Novik*His Majesty's Dragon [156]
Scott LynchThe Lies of Locke Lamora [157]
Sarah MonetteMélusine [154]
Brandon SandersonElantris, Mistborn: The Final Empire[155][158]
Lawrence M. SchoenThe Sky's the Limit [159]
2008 Mary Robinette Kowal*"Portrait of Ari" [160]
Scott LynchThe Lies of Locke Lamora [157]
David Louis EdelmanInfoquake [161]
Joe AbercrombieThe Blade Itself [162]
Jon ArmstrongGrey [163]
David Anthony DurhamAcacia: The War with the Mein [164]
2009 David Anthony Durham*Acacia: The War with the Mein [164]
Aliette de Bodard"Butterfly, Falling At Dawn" [165]
Felix GilmanThunderer [166]
Tony Pi"Metamorphoses in Amber" [167]
Gord Sellar"Lester Young and the Jupiter's Moons' Blues" [168]
2010 Seanan McGuire*Rosemary and Rue [169]
Felix GilmanThunderer [166]
Gail CarrigerSoulless [170]
Lezli Robyn"Soulmates" [171]
Saladin Ahmed"Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" [172]
2011 Lev Grossman*The Magicians [173]
Saladin Ahmed"Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" [172]
Lauren BeukesZoo City [174]
Larry CorreiaMonster Hunter International [175]
Dan WellsI Am Not a Serial Killer [176]
2012 E. Lily Yu*"The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" [177]
Mur Lafferty"1963: The Argument Against Louis Pasteur" [177]
Stina LeichtOf Blood and Honey [177]
Karen LordRedemption in Indigo [177]
Brad R. Torgersen"Ray of Light" [177]
2013 Mur Lafferty*"1963: The Argument Against Louis Pasteur" [178]
Zen ChoThe Perilous Life of Jade Yeo [178]
Max GladstoneThree Parts Dead [178]
Stina LeichtOf Blood and Honey, And Blue Skies From Pain [178]
Chuck WendigBlackbirds [178]
2014 Sofia Samatar*A Stranger in Olondria [179]
Wesley ChuThe Lives of Tao [179]
Max GladstoneThree Parts Dead [179]
Ramez NaamNexus [179]
Benjanun SriduangkaewChang'e Dashes from the Moon [179]
2015 Wesley Chu*The Lives of Tao [180]
Jason CordovaKaiju Apocalypse [180]
Kary English"Totaled" [180]
Rolf Nelson"Shakedown Cruise" [180]
Eric S. Raymond"Sucker Punch" [180]
2016 Andy Weir*The Martian [181]
Pierce BrownRed Rising [181]
Sebastien de CastellTraitor's Blade [181]
Brian NiemeierNethereal [181]
Alyssa Wong"The Fisher Queen", "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers" [181]
2017 Ada Palmer*Too Like the Lightning [182]
Sarah Gailey"Haunted", "Of Blood and Bronze" [182]
J. MulrooneyAn Equation of Almost Infinite Complexity [182]
Malka OlderInfomocracy [182]
Laurie PennyEverything Belongs to the Future [182]
Kelly Robson"Waters of Versailles", "Two-Year Man", "The Three Resurrections of Jessica Churchill" [182]
2018 Rebecca Roanhorse*"Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™" [183]
Katherine ArdenThe Bear and the Nightingale [183]
Sarah KuhnHeroine Complex [183]
Jeannette NgUnder the Pendulum Sun [183]
Vina Jie-Min Prasad"A Series of Steaks", "Fandom for Robots" [183]
Rivers SolomonAn Unkindness of Ghosts [183]
2019 Jeannette Ng*Under the Pendulum Sun [184]
Katherine ArdenThe Bear and the Nightingale [184]
S. A. ChakrabortyThe City of Brass [184]
R. F. KuangThe Poppy War [184]
Vina Jie-Min Prasad"A Series of Steaks", "Fandom for Robots" [184]
Rivers SolomonAn Unkindness of Ghosts [184]
2020 R. F. Kuang*The Poppy War [185]
Sam HawkeCity of Lies [185]
Jenn LyonsThe Ruin of Kings [185]
Nibedita Sen"Advice for Your First Time at the Faerie Market" [185]
Tasha SuriEmpire of Sand [185]
Emily TeshSilver in the Wood [185]
2021 Emily Tesh*Silver in the Wood [186]
Lindsay EllisAxiom's End [186]
Simon JimenezThe Vanished Birds [186]
Micaiah JohnsonThe Space Between Worlds [186]
A. K. LarkwoodThe Unspoken Name [186]
Jenn LyonsThe Ruin of Kings [186]
2022 Shelley Parker-Chan*She Who Became the Sun [187]
Tracy DeonnLegendborn [187]
Micaiah JohnsonThe Space Between Worlds [187]
A. K. LarkwoodThe Unspoken Name [187]
Everina MaxwellWinter's Orbit [187]
Xiran Jay ZhaoIron Widow [187]
2023 Travis Baldree*Legends & Lattes [188]
Naseem JamniaThe Bruising of Qilwa [188]
Isabel J. Kim"Christopher Mills, Return to Sender" [188]
Maijia LiuComes Slowly [188]
Everina MaxwellOcean's Echo [188]
Weimu Xin [188]
2024 Xiran Jay Zhao*[lower-alpha 1]Iron Widow [189]
Moniquill BlackgooseTo Shape a Dragon's Breath [189]
Sunyi DeanThe Book Eaters [189]
Ai JiangI AM AI [189]
Hannah KanerGodkiller [189]
Em X. LiuThe Death I Gave Him [189]
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Notes

  1. Zhao's eligibility period was extended one year per request by Dell Magazines after they were incorrectly ruled ineligible in their second year.

Citations

Cited references

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