requires a £5,000 fee from publishers if a book is to be shortlisted. Short stories The short story award was established in 2012 with a prize of £3,500 for the first, £1,000 for the second and £500 for the third. The winning story is determined by public vote from a shortlist of six that are selected by a panel of judges. The process is "blind" at both stages for the unpublished entries are anonymous until the conclusion. In the inaugural year, the six short story finalists were exposed anonymously online while the public vote was underway, two months before the winner was to be announced. Winners Bold font and blue ribbon () distinguish the overall Costa/Whitbread Book of the Year. For lists that include shortlisted entries (where available), please see: Costa Book Award for Novel Costa Book Award for First Novel Costa Book Award for Children's Book Costa Book Award for Poetry Costa Book Award for Biography Costa Book Award for Short Story List of award winners See also List of British literary awards List of Irish literary awards List of literary awards English literature Irish literature European literature British literature Literature List of years in literature References External links Injecting Caffeine Into the Whitbread (Now Costa) Book Awards at The Book Standard 1971 establishments in the United Kingdom Awards established in 1971 Awards disestablished in 2022 English-language literary awards