Overview of the Azorín Award for Novel 2024
One hundred thirty-four novels are competing this year for the Azorín Prize for Novel, organized by the Provincial Council of Alicante and Editorial Planeta. The winner will be announced on March 7 in a gala held in the Symphonic Hall of the ADDA. Despite a substantial prize, 45,000 euros, the number of original submissions has fallen markedly from previous years, when the contest consistently received more than two hundred entries: 206 in 2023, 223 in 2022, and 208 in 2021. This shift highlights evolving publishing cycles and the challenges authors face in submitting new fiction to major regional prizes.
According to the Alicante Provincial Council, a total of 134 titles were received this year, with the majority coming from Spain (104 works). Other origins include several countries in the Americas and Europe, specifically three from South America, one from North America, one from Central America, and two from other European states. There are also 23 original works whose provenance has not been specified. This distribution reflects a diverse pool of authors while underscoring the prize’s strong domestic roots and international appeal. (Source attribution: Diputación de Alicante.)
Among the works submitted by authors based in Spain, notable contributions come from major cities and regions: Alicante (18), Valencia (9), Castellón (2), Madrid (23), Barcelona (13), Seville (5), Murcia (3), Bizkaia (3), Illes Balears (3), Valladolid (3), Almería (2), Asturias (2), Cuenca (2), Granada (2), Huelva (2), Toledo (2), Córdoba (1), Cádiz (1), Girona (1), Huesca (1), Jaén (1), Ourense (1), Pontevedra (1), Salamanca (1), Tenerife (1), and Zaragoza (1). The spread demonstrates a broad geographic footprint across Spain and shows the prize’s resonance with writers in diverse communities. (Source attribution: Diputación de Alicante.)
The judging panel is chaired by the cultural director of the provincial government, with key figures from Editorial Planeta and a roster of prominent Spanish authors. The secretary position is held by a senior provincial official, who serves in a non-voting capacity. This composition aims to balance editorial insight with regional cultural stewardship and a wide literary perspective. (Source attribution: Diputación de Alicante.)
The most recent winner of the Azorín Prize was Fernando Benzo in 2023, followed by María Zamora (2022), Nativel Preciado (2021), and Mónica Carrillo (2020), among others. These recent laureates illustrate the prize’s history of recognizing varied narrative voices and lasting contributions to contemporary Spanish fiction. (Source attribution: Diputación de Alicante.)
The award ceremony will be streamed live on the YouTube channels of the Alicante Provincial Council and Editorial Planeta, as well as Planeta Libros’s channel. It will also be accessible via the X platform and Facebook under the hashtag #azorin2024, allowing audiences to follow the event in real time from North America and beyond. (Source attribution: Diputación de Alicante.)