The Center for Fiction has revealed the 29-title longlist for its 2025 First Novel Prize, honouring outstanding debut novels published in the US between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Selected from 185 submissions, the list was curated by a panel of over 300 readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, and community members.
Since its inception in 2006, the First Novel Prize has championed emerging literary voices. The winner receives $15,000, while shortlisted authors each earn $1,000. Past winners include Marisha Pessl, Junot Díaz, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Tommy Orange, Raven Leilani and De’Shawn Charles Winslow.
A judging panel of four acclaimed authors will announce the shortlist this fall. The public is invited to celebrate the finalists at two winter events: First Novel Fête(December 5, 2025)- Readings by shortlisted authors and Annual Awards Benefit (December 9, 2025)for Winner announcement.
The longlist showcases diverse themes and styles including:
– Good Girl – Aria Aber (Hogarth)
– Crown – Evanthia Bromiley (Grove Press)
– We Pretty Pieces of Flesh – Colwill Brown (Henry Holt)
– Dominion – Addie E. Citchens (FSG)
– Pan – Michael Clune (Penguin Press)
– Songs of No Provenance – Lydi Conklin (Catapult)
– The Catch – Yrsa Daley-Ward (Liveright)
– This Is the Only Kingdom – Jaquira Díaz (Algonquin)
– The Correspondent – Virginia Evans (Crown)
– If the Dead Belong Here – Carson Faust (Viking)
– The Devil Three Times – Rickey Fayne (Little, Brown)
– Sky Daddy – Kate Folk (Random House)
– Circular Motion – Alex Foster (Grove Press)
The prize is backed by the Hawthornden Foundation.
