Regional
Texas Institute of Letters Literary Awards
Texas Institute of Letters (TIL)
In short
The Texas Institute of Letters, a statewide literary organization, gives cash prizes each year across fiction, poetry, scholarly books, translation, and books for young readers. A writer qualifies by birth in Texas, five consecutive years there, or a book substantially about Texas, and the prizes are large enough for a small-press book to compete. The awards page does not say who may enter, so ask your publisher to watch for the entry form posted October 1, and check whether an author may enter directly.
Next cycle not announcedChecked September 13, 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.
This program has not published a verified deadline for its next cycle. Use the official link before making plans.
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The Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) gives cash prizes each year across categories for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, first books, scholarly books, translation, short story, short nonfiction, middle grade, young adult, picture book, and book design, plus a lifetime achievement award and a fellowship. The largest are the Jesse H. Jones Award for fiction ($6,000 in the most recent list) and the Carr P. Collins Award for nonfiction; the range by category is on the Prize line of this page.
A writer qualifies by having been born in Texas, having lived in Texas for at least five consecutive years at some point, or by submitting a work whose subject matter substantially concerns Texas. The awards are given for books first published in the previous calendar year.
The submissions window for the 2027 awards opens October 1, 2026, when the entry forms and full guidelines (including copies, fees, and the deadline) are posted. Winners are honored at the annual banquet, scheduled for May 1, 2027 in College Station, Texas.
Why it may matter
For an author with a Texas connection, TIL's awards carry real cash prizes in narrow categories where a small-press or university-press book can compete. The eligibility test is generous (birth, five years of residence, or Texas subject matter), so many authors qualify without realizing it.
2027 cycle: 2027 awards (books first published in 2026)
- Eligible publication dates
- January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
- Entries open
- October 1, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- Submissions open October 1, 2026; the deadline is published with the entry form on that date
- Entry fee
- Fee, if any, is published with the entry form on October 1, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Winners honored at the annual banquet on May 1, 2027 in College Station, Texas
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
Only the opening date of the 2027 window was posted when this record was verified; the deadline, fee, and copy count are published with the entry form on October 1, 2026. Prize amounts have shifted slightly between years, so confirm the current figure for your category.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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