PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature (Multigenre) Grant

PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature (Multigenre) Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: PEN America
Amount: US $50,000
Last Updated: April 04, 2026

Summary

The PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature, established in 2016, honors a living author whose work—either in English or translated—demonstrates exceptional originality and craftsmanship. With a generous prize of $50,000, this award recognizes excellence across genres including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Selected by a panel of esteemed judges, the award aims to support and celebrate significant literary contributions from authors based outside the United States.

Overview

PEN America Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Our strength is our Membership—a nationwide community of more than 4,500 novelists, journalists, nonfiction writers, editors, poets, essayists, playwrights, publishers, translators, agents, and other writing professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN America’s mission. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. PEN America Literary Awards Founded in 1963, the PEN America Literary Awards honor the most outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, and drama. With the help of our partners, PEN America confers over 20 distinct awards, fellowships, and grants each year, awarding over $370,000 to writers and translators annually. The PEN America Literary Awards program celebrates literary excellence, encourages global discourse, champions important voices, and brings new books to life through our publication awards. From exciting new voices to underrecognized masters of their craft, PEN America honors challenging, thought-provoking, genre-defying writers. PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature Founded in 2016 in collaboration with the Vladimir Nabokov Literary Foundation, the $50,000 award is conferred annually to a living author whose body of work—either written in or translated into English—represents the highest level of achievement in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or drama, and is of enduring originality and consummate craftsmanship. The winner is selected by a panel of esteemed judges. There are no outside nominations.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Who is eligible: The criteria of the award is those born or residing outside the United States.

Ineligibility

Self-published books are ineligible.Books with more than one original author are ineligible for the PEN America Literary Awards. Authors may not submit their own books.Writers who are also current PEN America staff or interns, trustees, or chairs of Member committees are not eligible for any of the Awards and/or Grants offered by the Literary Awards Program. Additionally, all current members of the Literary Awards Committee are ineligible.