QWF administers various awards programs to acknowledge the fine work being done by Quebec’s aspiring, emerging, and established authors and, in the case of the Judy Mappin Community Award, members of the larger literary community. Literary awards encourage talented young writers to carry on with their careers and give them a credential that may help them get the attention of an agent or publisher. For more established writers, they help raise their profile outside of their home community and generate additional book sales.
The QWF Literary Awards
Every year, The Quebec Writers’ Federation shines the spotlight on the best published books and/or produced plays to emerge from those writing in English in Quebec. Shortlists are announced in mid-October, and winners are announced at the annual QWF Awards Gala in November.
The full list of submissions for the 2019 QWF Awards can be read here.
Submissions are closed. The shortlist will be announced in mid-October.
Click on individual awards below to learn more.
Special Prizes
The following prizes are also announced at the Gala in November.
3Macs carte blanche Prize
The 3Macs carte blanche Prize is awarded once a year in recognition of an outstanding submission to QWF’s online literary journal, carte blanche, by a Quebec writer, artist, or translator. Winners receive a cash prize and a unique trophy—“The Lori”—created by Montreal artist Glen LeMesurier.
A shortlist is selected by the editors of the journal, and the winner is selected by a single juror.
View last year's winners
Judy Mappin Community Award
This award is given to a member of the extended literary community who has made a significant and longstanding contribution to the development and/or dissemination of English-language literature in Quebec. It is named for the first recipient of QWF's Community Award in 1995, who quietly but fiercely promoted generations of Canadian writers in her long career as a bookseller at the now defunct Double Hook bookstore in Westmount, Quebec.
The Call for Nominations for the 2019 Judy Community Award is now closed. Thank you for your nominations. The winner will be announced at the QWF Awards Gala on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.
View last year's winners
The QWF Prize for Young Writers
Established in 2017, The QWF Prize for Young Writers is awarded each year to an emerging writer who is a resident of Quebec and who is between 16 and 24 years old. The prize goes to the author of the best short story, poem, or work of non-fiction written in English and published in an official literary publication during the previous calendar year. Work can be submitted either by the author or by the journal in which the submission was published, and there is no limit to the number of submissions per publication or writer.
Submissions are closed. The shortlist will be announced at the beginning of November.
View submissions
Milestones
2018
Inauguration of the QWF Prize for Playwriting
2014
carte blanche turns ten years old
2013
QWF celebrates fifteen years
2012
The QWF Awards Trophy is unveiled, thanks to an anonymous donor. Designer: Anick Blais
2011
First book prize named "Concordia University First Book Prize"
2010
Translation prize named "Cole Foundation Prize for Translation "
2008
Inauguration of the QWF Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
1999
First Book award named "McAuslan First Book Prize"
1998
QSPELL Prizes renamed QWF Awards Non-fiction prize named "Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-fiction" Inauguration of the Translation prize
1996
Inauguration of the First Book award
1992
Poetry prize named "A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry"
1991
Fiction prize named "Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction"