The Contests
Writers & Illustrators of the Future
The L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests have left an indelible mark on the fields of science fiction and fantasy. With more than four decades of developing new professional writers and more than a quarter century of cultivating new professional illustrators, the impact that the two Contests have had on the field is impossible to measure.
Renowned author and critic Algis Budrys led the original Writers of the Future Contest, with a blue-ribbon panel of science fiction legends serving as judges: Dr. Gregory Benford, Robert Silverberg, Theodore Sturgeon, Jack Williamson, and Roger Zelazny. The first awards ceremony was held in 1985 in Beverly Hills, California.
But the Contest was formed for a purpose beyond simply giving awards—it was intended to help foster the next generation of master writers. Budrys developed a world-class workshop to accompany the awards ceremony. The prototype workshop was held in Taos, New Mexico, with fellow authors (and Contest judges) Frederik Pohl and Gene Wolfe.
522
Writer Winners
370
Illustrator Winners
181
Countries with contest entries
The Trophy
The impressive pyramidal trophy was first introduced at the 1985 ceremonies: a silver quill and a star embedded in transparent Lucite. Each trophy is individually made, so no two are exactly alike. Even the silver star-and-plume ornaments are handcrafted by a silversmith, without a mold.
In a sense, the one-of-a-kind nature of each award is reflective of the unique individualism of the new authors, illustrators and their works.
Freas & Bradbury
The legendary Frank Kelly Freas and Ray Bradbury at the inaugural Illustrators of the Future Contest, 1988. Mr. Freas was the first coordinating judge of the Illustrators contest while Mr. Bradbury counted himself an L. Ron Hubbard fan for more than forty years.
The Trophy
The impressive pyramidal trophy was first introduced at the 1985 ceremonies: a silver quill and a star embedded in transparent Lucite. Each trophy is individually made, so no two are exactly alike. Even the silver star-and-plume ornaments are handcrafted by a silversmith, without a mold.
In a sense, the one-of-a-kind nature of each award is reflective of the unique individualism of the new authors and their stories.
Freas & Bradbury
The legendary Frank Kelly Freas and Ray Bradbury at the inaugural Illustrators of the Future Contest, 1988. Mr. Freas was the first coordinating judge of the Illustrators contest while Mr. Bradbury counted himself an L. Ron Hubbard fan for more than forty years.