Show-Me State Times

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead has been recognized as the recipient of the 2025 St. Louis Literary Award. In his remarks, Whitehead emphasized the importance of persistence and dedication. He advised aspiring writers to, "read, read, read to find out what kind of writer you want to be. Write, write, write to find out what kind of a writer you are.”

During the event, Whitehead interacted with various literary figures and shared his experiences with perseverance. Speaking with high school students, he recalled his early struggles when a novel was rejected 25 times, and he was dropped by his literary agent. "My parents wanted me to get a real job," he said, "but I am an artist. I had no choice but to start again. No other job or vocation could make me feel like a whole person. If you have to write, there is nothing else that will fulfill you."

He discussed his approach to writing, sharing that he plans his characters' paths before the actual writing. In conversation with Katrina Thompson Moore, Ph.D., associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at SLU, he remarked, “The great thing about my job I really love is that if I keep going, and I can salute these different genres and kinds of storytelling that I like, for me that is really neat.”

Whitehead also shared his thoughts on managing time as a writer with Ron Austin, associate professor of English at SLU, noting the importance of setting weekly page goals instead of daily writing. “Juggling time is a problem that confronts all artists,” he said. “You have to figure out how to make it work for you.”

He is well-known for his novels including “The Intuitionist,” “John Henry Days,” “Apex Hides the Hurt,” among others. His works "The Underground Railroad" and "The Nickel Boys" have earned multiple awards, including the Pulitzer Prize.

Whitehead’s accolades include a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Prize for American Fiction from the Library of Congress.

The St. Louis Literary Award, under the operations of SLU Libraries, organizes events like the Campus Read series, Undergraduate Writing Award, and the Inspired By Arts Showcase.