Created in 1984 in Muret, in Haute-Garonne, this literary prize aims to encourage young authors by offering them the opportunity to be read, or even published. In 1991, the association Le Prix du Jeune Écrivain was created to perpetuate this project. In 2007, the competition broadened its scope by merging its two branches, thus becoming the first prize to be open to all French-speaking authors without distinction of nationality.
In 2011, the organization decided to adapt its calendar to make the awards ceremony coincide with the Paris Book Fair, thus strengthening its visibility. The following year, Alain Absire took over as president of the jury, bringing his experienced literary perspective to the selection of the winners.
Since then, each year, the winners are invited to Muret for the Young Writer's Week, a moment of exchange and training, allowing them to meet the public and participate in various literary workshops.
The winners of the 40th Young Writer’s Prize:
Camelia Ines Benabderrahmane (23 years old, Algeria), for The Second Death
Arthur Chenal (16 years old, Switzerland), for The Butterfly's Dream
Maë Defix (21 years old, France), for L’Incident
Juliette Grandguillaume (20 years, France), pour This body between you and me
Loanne Guérin (26 years old, France), for Are you already from another world?
Nolwen Kamaha (17 years old, Cameroon), for Premonition
Léo Lévy (23 years old, Switzerland), for Power question
Giulia Lisi (25 years old, Italy), for Θέω – Run
Blaise Lombart (23 years old, Belgium), for The Waterfront House
Baptiste Louveau (24 years old, France), for Three days of heatwave
Marie Ozanne (16 years old, France), for Narcisse
Léonie Soula (24 years old, France), for She's leaving
Since its foundation, the Prize has revealed many authors who are now recognized and awarded prizes, such as Miguel Bonnefoy (Grand Prix du Roman de l'Académie française 2024), Shane Haddad (finalist for the Médicis Prize 2024) or even Nicolas Michel (Prix Youth Utopias 2024). Other notable winners include Joy Majdalani (2024 Flore Prize finalist), Chris Vuklisevic (2024 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire), as well as Lisa Hazan (2024 André Malraux Prize finalist).
Also included are Kaouther Adimi (France Culture Student Prize 2022), Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (FNAC Novel Prize 2021) or François-Henri Désérable (Grand Prix du Novel de l'Académie française 2021), as well as Clémentine Beauvais (French Academy Prize Witches 2016) and Marie Darrieussecq (Medici Prize 2013).
One of its specificities is to provide semi-finalists with personalized reading sheets, in order to encourage them to continue their literary journey. News of the winners of this edition will appear in March 2025 by Éditions Robert Laffont. The prize list will be revealed during Young Writer's Week, a time dedicated to literary exchanges, workshops and meetings between the public and young authors.
Find the list of French and French-speaking literary prizes
Image Credits: 40th edition, Young French Language Writer Prize
By Dispatch
Contact : [email protected]
