WRITE-BYTES BLOG
…a resource for writers
April 14, 2023
By Linda S. Gunther
The topic this week: ATTRIBUTES FOR A PULITZER-PRIZE WINNING BOOK
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So, let’s pretend we were judges for the ultimate writing award – the Pulitzer Prize. You’d probably think that there would be a complex evaluation form for this prestigious accolade. Or that’s what I thought!
In digging around and doing a bit of research I found out that actually the Pulitzer Board of Judges do not use structured critique criteria.It is left by the Board members to determine exactly what makes a work “distinguished.” It looks like the board this year is made up of about 18 judges which acts on the nominations of committees of Pulitzer Jurors (about 5 in each eligible category). Hence, the Pulitzer Board is fed from nominations from a cadre of these Jurors.
Pulitzer awards are awarded by Columbia University. The only guideline given to the jurors and judges are the definitions for each eligible category which is explained in the Entry Form. Fascinating, right? There are currently over 22-23 award categories with about 15 relating to the different aspects of Journalism. In the second notable arena titled Letters, Drama and Music, there are 7 award categories which include: Fiction, Drama, History, Biography, Poetry, General Nonfiction and Music. The Pulitzer Prize board is made up of major editors, columnists, media executives including about 6 members drawn from academia and the arts; and in addition, the Dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.
The winner in each area receives a grand prize of $15,000. It’s not a huge amount but of course we can all imagine what it can potentially mean in terms of revenue and author notoriety. And what about the potential publicity for books the author wrote BEFORE receiving a Pulitzer?
Needless to say, Pulitzer judges must certainly hold their own personal criteria in their mind’s eye for what they see as meeting the high standard of being applauded as “distinguished.”
Many diligent writers, professors, and scholars have studied the array of Pulitzer winners. Their goal was to analyze and cull the attributes common across these amazing recognized works.
The first Pulitzer was awarded in 1917 for works that were published in 1916. So, there’s plenty of history available. Looking at the Pulitzers awarded over the years in the outstanding fiction category, we see titles like: The Old Man and The Sea, The Caine Mutiny, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Hours, Olive Kitteridge, Lonesome Dove, The Color Purple and most recently in 2022, The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
What’s interesting is that there have been more than a few years when the Pulitzer Prize Board did not give away a Pulitzer for fiction. Reason? Because the final few that were top of the heap were not deemed as being “distinguished,” hence the Board held back the award. I like that because it shows integrity in their process. And, unfortunately, disappointment for the finalists.
Some analysts say that for the work to be in the running for a Pulitzer, it absolutely must have the following attributes:
- A unique writing “voice”
- A strong Character POV (point of view)
- A distinct character arc in the story
- A timeless theme but pertinent and accurate depicting the current times and culture.
Those 4 things listed above sound do-able to achieve, but these judges are looking for the BEST OF THE BEST.
To be noted here, there are, of course, critics of the Pulitzer Prize process. Some say the books selected are not often the most compelling reads in a given year. I say, HEY, I’M OPEN TO ANY KIND OF GUIDANCE REGARDING WHAT MAKES FOR WRITING GOOD FICTION. It would be a dream come true to be seriously considered for this award. For me, my dream is not necessarily to win a prize but it is to have one of my suspense novels turned into a film.
If you’d like to be in the running for a Pulitzer, here’s the link to enter:
https://www.pulitzer.org/page/how-enter
I’m sending positive vibes to you!
Highlights in bold italic above capture the core of this blog post!
Stay tuned for next week. Look for this BLOG every FRIDAY which will l be posted at 9 a.m.
Next week’s WRITE-BYTES post will be titled HAPPY OR PHILOSOPHICAL ENDING TO YOUR BOOK?
Linda S. Gunther has written five novels: Ten Steps From The Hotel Inglaterra, Endangered Witness, Lost In The Wake, Finding Sandy Stonemeyer, and Dream Beach.
She grew up in New York City, received a Master’s Degree in Psychology,
an MBA and studied theatre at Oxford University with the British
American Drama Academy. Linda’s passion for travel and continuous
learning fuels her fire to create vivid fictional characters and
unforgettable story lines.
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