For more than a decade, the RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award has recognized excellence in emerging, yet-to-be published Canadian writers. The 2025 prize is currently open for submissions — unpublished writers are encouraged to submit poetry, stories, essays, journalism, or prose of any kind.

This spring, several alumni of the award are celebrating new books, recognition from their peers, or their growing careers, including:

Christine Wu

The Halifax-based poet and 2023 winner, has recently published her debut poetry collection, Familial Hungers (Brick Books). In it, Christine reckons with identity, race, and fractured relationships through the lens of food. She recently spoke about it with CBC’s Atlantic Voice.

Now she is on the road: you can come hear her poetry during the second leg of her and fellow poet Jessica Bebenek’s joint book tour. Readings are planned for Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Barrie, London and Hamilton.

Deepa Rajagopalan

Deepa (2021 winner) is thriving after her short story collection, Peacocks of Instagram (House of Anansi Press), was shortlisted for the Giller Prize. This week, her debut book celebrated its one-year anniversary. In the last year, she’s appeared at both the San Miguel Writers Festival and the Imagination Festival at the Morrin Centre. Up next, catch her Writer’s Digest class on writing short stories.

Jade Wallace

Jade (2019 finalist) recently published ZZOO, a poetry collection from the collaborative writing entity, MA|DE. This spring they have been touring it across Ontario. They were recently interviewed by All Lit Up about it.

Sara Power

Sara (2022 finalist) was recognized by the BMO Winterset Awards for her debut short story collection, Art of Camouflage. The prize celebrates excellence in Newfoundland & Labrador literature.

Em Dial

Em’s (2022 winner) debut poetry book, In the Key of Decay, was longlisted for the Raymond Souster Award by The League of Canadian Poets. And, along with fellow alumn Fareh Malik, Em is also featured in the second season of Toronto’s Poems in Passage.

Jaclyn Desforges

In the last year, Jaclyn (2018 winner) has had her poetry published in two anthologies, completed teaching her first poetry class at Wilfrid Laurier University, and is looking forward to her 2026 short story debut, Weird Babies. She has also begun writing her first novel, Eyelash Person.

Books from previous RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award winners

Familial Hungers

Brick Books, 2025
Book of poetry by Christine Wu (2023 winner)

Streams that Lead Somewhere

Mawenzi House, 2022
Book of poetry by Fareh Malik (2022 winner)

Peacocks of Instagram

House of Anansi, 2024
Collection of short stories by Deepa Rajagopalan (2021 winner)

In the Key of Decay

Palimpsest Press, 2024
Book of poetry by Em Dial (2020 winner)

Washes, Prays

McClelland & Stewart, 2020
Book of poetry by Noor Naga (2019 winner), author also of the novel If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English

Danger Flower

Palimpsest Press, 2021
Book of poetry by Jaclyn Desforges (2018 winner), also author of Weird Babies (Gordon Hill Press/Porcupine’s Quill, 2026) and Why Are You So Quiet (Annick Press, 2020)

Let the World Have You

House of Anansi Press, 2022
Book of poetry by Mikko Harvey (2017 winner), also author of Unstable Neighbourhood Rabbit (House of Anansi Press, 2018)

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit

House of Anansi Press, 2024
Novel by Nadine Sander-Green (2015 winner)

Whistle Stops: A Locomotive Serial Poem

Signature Editions, 2017
Book of poetry by Emily Izsak (2014 winner)

Circus

Penguin Random House/McClelland and Stewart, 2014
Short story collection by Claire Battershill (2013 winner), also author of several academic publications