The primary goal of this class is to choose a shortlist and winner of New Harmony Book Award & Residency. The NHBA awards a $3000 prize (beginning with the 2027 award) to the winning book, in addition to a 7-day residency in New Harmony, Indiana. The contest is open to books of fiction—any genre—published in a calendar year. The books will be judged on the literary and artistic merit, and as a class we’ll decide what that means and how we’re going to evaluate the books.
This class is an elective in the Literary Editing and Publishing Minor at USI, however any interested student may enroll in the course. Students will gain invaluable experience reading and evaluating literary fiction, as well as practical, skills-based knowledge in contest and event management. Additionally, students will work with the New Harmony Book Award coordinator, Dr. Casey Pycior, to help nationally promote the shortlist and winner.
If you have any questions about the course, feel free to email Dr. Pycior, cpycior@usi.edu.