How does an author win a Pulitzer Prize? This is a question I've always had. Winning a Pulitzer Prize requires that an author's work go through a rigorous selection process that judges every element imaginable. Everything from the content of the story, to the source material of a news article, to the historical significance of the work is brought into it. The two Pulitzer Prize-winning authors we talked about in class, Susan Glaspell and William Faulkner, subjected some of their work to this test and emerged victorious. The background and selection process of the Pulitzer Prizes, the backgrounds of these authors, and the stories they submitted, were all important factors in their success. First, what is a Pulitzer Prize and how is it awarded? Pulitzer Prizes are awarded for excellence in many areas, and what is awarded is capable of changing over time as things become necessary or no longer necessary. The prizes are named after Joseph Pulitzer, a very illustrious journalist, who in his will left the foundation for the first Pulitzer Prizes. As part of its provisions it granted the board of directors the power to make changes to the prizes. They have the ability to suspend, replace and add award categories as needed for the public good or to account for unpredictable changes the future would bring. It also stated in its provisions that the prize need not be awarded if none of the choices met the standards it wanted the prize to set. Pulitzer hoped that by setting high standards and enabling necessary changes in the future, the Pulitzer Prizes would help elevate journalism and other types of writing and art, and would also set a benchmark for such things for which people could strive (Toppings). how Pulitz are... middle of the paper... writers' influences, and how those influences were applied, all played an important role in winning a Pulitzer Prize. Works Cited: A Fable. December 18, 2013. Web. May 20, 2014. "Alison's House." nd Gale.com. Network. May 20, 2014. .Biography.com. Biography of William Faulkner. nd Web. May 20, 2014. .Gradesaver. Biography of Susan Glaspell (1876-1948). nd Web. May 20, 2014. .Oppel, rich. How the Pulitzer Prizes are chosen. June 8, 2008. Web. May 20, 2014. .Topping, Seymour. History of the Pulitzer Prizes. Ed. Mr Gissler. nd Web. May 20 2014. .