David Nicholls joins Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award 2020 judging panel

Bestselling author and screenwriter David Nicholls has joined the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award 2020 judging panel.

Nicholls will be joined by novelist and short-story writer Carys Davies, prize-winning author Diana Evans and short-story writer and novelist Romesh Gunesekera. The line-up is completed by the Sunday Times literary editor Andrew Holgate.

Now in its 11th year, the world‚Äôs richest prize for a single short story in the English language is open to any novelist or short-story writer from around the world who is published in the UK. The winner is awarded £30,000.

Writing about the award, previously shortlisted Booker prize-winning author Hilary Mantel said: “Short fiction is an art just as demanding as the novel. It encourages the form to flourish and writers to be ambitious. Because the permitted length is generous, it does not restrict the writer's remit as some lesser contests do, and it has reliably produced strong shortlists and outstanding winners. To support such a prize is an imaginative act of generosity that ripples out in its effects to readers and writers worldwide.”

As sponsor of the 2020 Award, Audible will produce an audio anthology of shortlisted stories. The longlist will be announced on 3rd May, the shortlist on 7th June and the winner on 2nd July.