For the inaugural 2010 Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, we will be honoring with induction only six writers who are no longer with us. In coming years, we expect to open up the Hall of Fame to living writers as well. But with this first induction class, we want to recognize and celebrate those whose words paved the literary road for us today and for future generations.

A 13-member committee distinguished for their work in the Chicago literary committee chose the 2010 Hall of Fame nominees. The panel includes leaders in literary publishing, editing, broadcasting, criticism, writing, and whose specialties range from poetry to drama to short fiction to the novel. Each member was asked to assemble a ballot with six nominees, along with rationale for inclusion. There were, then, 78 total, including 27 unique, nominations.

These 27 nominees are now under consideration by a separate panel consisting of five of our best and brightest writers and scholars. They will debate the merits of all nominees and eventually vote upon the six most deserving inductees.

Selection to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame is expected to be an evolving process with criteria that will develop and change with time. In this, the first year, we gave it a broad scope – opening up nominations to those writers who best represent Chicago’s rich and proud literary heritage.

The hope is that, through the rigorous nominating and selecting process, the criteria will arise organically. In the end, it’s important that the literary community, which includes all champions and readers of the art, give voice to what constitutes a Chicago Literary Hall of Fame inductee.

In the future, the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame will add categories to honor deserving literary writers, popular writers, editors and more. But for now, it is in the hands of the five esteemed selectors to weight the criteria and elect six writers to comprise the initial induction class, and set the highest standards for the people who will ultimately represent the Hall of Fame.

Legendary arts club to house Hall Tuesday, July 06, 2010 Historic Cliff Dwellers Club will be the first home for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame exhibit.

Sun-Times covers the Hall, makes its own 'unofficial' picks Sunday, April 18, 2010 The Chicago Sun-Times has a 2-page cover story, "First Class," on the effort to build the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame (Sunday Show Section, April 18, 2010).

Does Chicago need a Literary Hall of Fame? Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Donald G. Evans argues for a hall, an awards ceremony and a good old-fashioned literary rock jam.

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