Genre
RWA Diamond Heart Award
Romance Writers of America (RWA)
In short
The Diamond Heart Award is the published-romance contest currently run by Romance Writers of America, the genre's professional association, across contemporary, historical, suspense, and young adult romance categories. Every entry must have a central love story and an optimistic ending, so fiction that ends unhappily does not qualify. The author enters directly on the contest platform by uploading a file, on any publishing route, and members of the association pay a lower fee. The program has been restructured more than once, so confirm the current window on the contest site.
This cycle closedChecked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Every label is a fact from the official rules, never a judgment about whether the award is worth entering. How we describe awards.
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The Diamond Heart Award is the published-romance contest currently run by Romance Writers of America (RWA). RWA's earlier published-book awards, the RITA and the Vivian, no longer appear on RWA's awards pages; the Diamond Heart is the published-romance contest listed there now. The companion Golden Heart Award is for unpublished manuscripts and is open only to RWA members.
Entries are judged in categories such as Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, Speculative Romance, Young Adult/New Adult Romance, Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance, and Short Romance Fiction, most split into long (80,000 words or more) and mid (50,000 to 80,000 words) lengths. Every entry must have a central love story and an emotionally satisfying, optimistic ending.
Authors enter directly through the RWA contest site by uploading a PDF (an EPUB is encouraged as well). Traditionally published and self-published books both qualify, and RWA membership is not required, although members pay a lower fee.
Why it may matter
This is the only national published-romance award run by the genre's professional association, and it is open to self-published authors on the same terms as traditionally published ones. Its history matters for expectations: the program has been restructured more than once since 2019, so treat each year's rules and even the award's existence as something to confirm rather than assume.
2026 cycle: 2026 Diamond Heart (books first published in 2024)
- Eligible publication dates
- January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024
- Entries open
- October 27, 2025Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Final deadline
- November 19, 2025 (passed)Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- Contest opened at 11 a.m. Central on October 27, 2025; second entries opened November 13, 2025; all entries due by 5 p.m. Central on November 19, 2025
- Entry fee
- RWA members pay $65 for a first entry and $85 for a second; non-members pay $105 per entryChecked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Finalists notified and posted April 20, 2026; winners announced at the RWA National Conference
- Notes
- Last posted cycle; the next cycle's dates and eligibility year must be confirmed on the contest site
| Tier | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| RWA member, first entry | See rules | $65 |
| RWA member, second entry | See rules | $85 |
| Non-member, each of first two entries | See rules | $105 |
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
The most recent cycle on the contest page accepted books first published in 2024, with entries open October 27 to November 19, 2025, and finalists announced April 20, 2026. As of September 16, 2026 the contest page (rwacontest.org/index.php/diamond-heart-award/ (opens in a new tab)) still described that cycle and the following one had not been posted, so check the contest site in the fall for the next window. Collaborating authors must all be RWA members to get the member rate.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 16, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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