The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented annually by the
Horror Writers Association (HWA) for "superior achievement" in
dark fantasy
Dark fantasy, also called fantasy horror, is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporates disturbing and frightening themes. The term is ambiguously used to describe stories that combine horror fiction, horror ...
and
horror writing.
History
The Awards were established in 1987 and have been presented annually since 1988, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA. They are named after Irish horror writer
Bram Stoker, author of the novel ''
Dracula'', among others.
Several members of the HWA—including
Dean Koontz—were reluctant to endorse such writing awards, fearing it would incite competitiveness rather than friendly admiration. The HWA therefore went to lengths to avoid mean-spirited competition, they agreed to specifically seek out new and neglected writers and works, and officially issue Awards not based on "best of the year" criteria, but "for superior achievement", which allows for ties.
Nominated works come from two different processes. Works can be recommended by any member of the HWA and a separate list of works is presented by a Jury for each category. Members with Active status then vote on works appearing on preliminary ballots. The field is thereby narrowed to the Final ballot; and Active members vote to choose the winners from that Final Ballot.
Winners of a Bram Stoker Award receive a statuette made by New York firm,
Society Awards.
The terms Bram Stoker Award and Bram Stoker Awards are registered trademarks of the Horror Writers Association.
Categories
Current categories
year of eligibility, with the ceremony convened in 2022, the Bram Stoker Award is presented for "Superior Achievement" in the following categories:
*
Novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
(1987–)
*
First Novel (1987–)
*
Young Adult Novel (2011–)
*
Graphic Novel
A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
(2011–)
*
Long Fiction (1998–)
*
Short Fiction (1998–)
*
Anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
(1998–)
*
Fiction Collection (1998–)
*
Poetry Collection (2000–)
*
Non-Fiction
Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
(1987–)
*
Short Non-Fiction (2019–)
*
Screenplay
A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...
(1998–2004, 2011–)
*
Lifetime Achievement (1987–)
Discontinued categories
Discontinued categories include:
*
Novelette (1987–1997)
*
Short Story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...
(1987–1997)
*
Collection (1987–1997)
*
Work for Young Readers (1998–2004)
* Alternative Forms:
**
Other Media (1993, 1998–2000)
**
Alternative Forms (2001–2004)
*
Illustrated Narrative (1998–2004)
Past winners
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
holds the record for both the most nominations (33) and wins (13).
Other past award winners include:
*
Linda Addison
*
Maria Alexander
*
Michael Arnzen
*
Clive Barker
*
Laird Barron
*
Charles Beaumont
*
Robert Bloch
*
Bruce Boston
*
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...
*
Christopher Lee
*
Gary A. Braunbeck
*
Ramsey Campbell
*
Douglas Clegg
*
Don Coscarelli
Don Coscarelli Jr. (born February 17, 1954) is an American film director, film producer, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in horror films. His directing credits include the first four films in the Phantasm (franchise), '' ...
*
Ellen Datlow
*
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...
*
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman (; born Neil Richard Gaiman; 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic series ''The Sandman (comic book), The Sandma ...
*
David Gerrold
*
Owl Goingback
*
Christopher Golden
*
Rain Graves
*
Eric J. Guignard
*
Thomas Harris
*
Joe Hill
*
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
*
Nancy Holder
*
Brian A. Hopkins
*
Del Howison
*
Charlee Jacob
*
Stephen Jones
*
Steven A. Katz
*
Brian Keene
*
Jack Ketchum
*
Caitlin R. Kiernan
*
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
*
Michael Knost
*
Kathe Koja
*
Sarah Langan
*
Joe R. Lansdale
*
Richard Laymon
*
Thomas Ligotti
*
Bentley Little
*
Jonathan Maberry
*
George R. R. Martin
*
Elizabeth Massie
*
Rena Mason
*
Richard Matheson
*
Glen Mazzara
*
Robert McCammon
*
Thomas F. Monteleone
*
Michael Moorcock
*
Alan Moore
Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', Swamp Thing (comic book), ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman: The Killing Joke' ...
*
David Morrell
*
Lisa Morton
*
Yvonne Navarro
*
William F. Nolan
*
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates (born June 16, 1938) is an American writer. Oates published her first book in 1963, and has since published 58 novels, a number of plays and novellas, and many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Her novels ''Black ...
*
Weston Ochse
*
Norman Partridge
*
Tom Piccirilli
*
Alex Proyas
Alexander Proyas ( ; born 23 September 1963) is an Australian film director. He is known for directing the films ''The Crow (1994 film), The Crow'' (1994), ''Dark City (1998 film), Dark City'' (1998), ''I, Robot (film), I, Robot'' (2004) and '' ...
*
Alan Rodgers
*
Bruce Holland Rogers
*
J. K. Rowling
*
Al Sarrantonio
*
John Shirley
*
Dan Simmons
*
Marge Simon
*
Lucy A. Snyder
*
Peter Straub
*
Steve and
Melanie Tem
*
Robert Weinberg
*
Rocky Wood
*
EV Knight
References
External links
Official Website
{{Bram Stoker
*
Awards established in 1987