Castro wins Patrick White literary award

Novelist Brian Castro says he is proud to be named the 2014 winner of the Patrick White Literary Award.

Mr Castro received a cheque for $24,000 on Friday in recognition of his contribution to Australian literature.

"This is an award by a writer for other writers," Mr Castro said in a statement.

"It is not a prize for which you can apply, as it acknowledges a body of work rather than a single publication.

"I am proud to be amongst such great company as past winners Christina Stead, Randolph Stow and Thea Astley."

The Hong Kong-born writer was joint winner of the Australian/Vogel Award in 1982 for his first novel, Birds of Passage.

He has gone on to receive numerous other awards and written nine other novels along with radio plays, stage plays, short stories and a collection of essays on writing and culture.