The Award honors authors who show both literary excellence and exceptional understanding into the natural wonders and environmental issues of the South.
The eerie cypress swamps of Georgia, the towering mountains of western North Carolina, and the undulating plains of the Virginia piedmont have all served as sources of inspiration and insight for authors throughout the long, strong heritage of southern literature. Writers are increasingly examining the South’s relationship with its natural resources and the difficulties it faces during this period of change as the South develops and changes; SELC’s Reed Environmental Writing Award recognizes the best of these storytellers.
The biennial Reed Environmental Writing Award, presented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), has two categories: Book, for nonfiction books (not self-published), and Journalism, for articles from newspapers, magazines, and websites.
Prizes
- Each category’s winner receives a prize worth $2,500.
Eligibility
- Open to anyone, including authors and publishers.
- Nonfiction books that are self-published and not by a recognized institution are eligible for nomination, as are journalism entries such as newspaper, magazine, and internet writing from a newspaper, university, or NGO.
- Entries must be at least 1,000 words; published in the year ending October 1, 2022 and pertain to the environment in at least one of the six states in SELC’s region (Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia).
Judging Criteria
- The primary judging criterion is the quality of writing style and connection to the South’s environment, overall originality of the piece, and presentation of unique ideas and pressing issues.
Application
Winners will be announced in January 2023 and invited to read from their winning entry at a special SELC event during the Virginia Festival of the Book, held every March in Charlottesville, Virginia.
