"Journeying into the future": An audit of the Writers' Trust/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize

2018 marks the 30th anniversary of The Writers’ Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. It is an annual short story award dedicated to highlighting the best emerging writers in Canada. Partly administered by McClelland & Stewart (M&S), an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, the prize has launched the careers of some of the country’s most celebrated authors. It is also the highest monetary award for a single short story. Despite its impressive legacy and offering, there are issues around the diversity of Journey Prize content. There is also room to improve The Journey Prize’s visibility and reach. This report is the first extensive project to focus on The Prize and it will serve as an advisory document for M&S and other publishers looking to increase brand awareness and encourage diverse content. There are recommendations, namely a curated marketing strategy, to take The Journey Prize into the next phase of its growth.