Gronk Nicandro First Book Prize

Awarded in alternate years in poetry and prose for first books by California writers. The 2025 competition invites works of prose 30,000 – 50,000 words. All forms of narrative prose are welcome: fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, speculative, hybrid, and more. We are always drawn to writing that’s as interested in language as we are. Surprise us! The prize honors painter, printmaker, and performance artist, Gronk Nicandro, whose art appears on the covers of all WBP books. The winning author will receive $500 and 50 free copies of the book. For guidelines and to submit, please visit our Submittable page here.