The Whiting Foundation announced the winners of its 2025 Whiting Awards, given annually to 10 “emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.”
Claire Luchette, the author of Agatha of Little Neon, was one of five fiction authors to receive the award, alongside Elwin Cotman (Weird Black Girls), Emil Ferris (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters), Samuel Kọ́láwọlé (The Road to the Salt Sea), and Shubha Sunder (Optional Practical Training).
Two nonfiction authors received the awards: Aisha Sabatini Sloan (Dreaming of Ramadi in Detroit) and Sofi Thanhauser (Worn: A People’s History of Clothing). Poets Karisma Price (I’m Always So Serious) and Annie Wenstrup (The Museum of Unnatural Histories) were named winners of the prizes, as was playwright Liza Birkenmeier (Dr. Ride’s American Beach House).
Courtney Hodell, the foundation’s director of literary programs, said in a statement, “These writers demonstrate astounding range; each has invented the tools they needed to carve out their narratives and worlds. Taken as a whole, their work shows a sharply honed sensitivity to our history, both individual and collective, and a passionate curiosity as to where a deeper understanding of that history can take us.”
The Whiting Awards were established in 1985. Previous winners include David Foster Wallace, Lydia Davis, Colson Whitehead, Yiyun Li, and Ling Ma.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
