Awards directory
Book awards: who can enter, what it costs, and whether your book fits.
Some awards choose books without accepting entries. Others accept author submissions, publisher submissions, member nominations, reader votes, or paid entries. Each record shows the model, eligibility, fee, current-cycle status, and official source so you can judge the fit yourself.
This directory feeds the checklist step Build an awards calendar before publication. Set a status on any award and it joins your checklist.
Still deciding whether to bother? Which book awards are worth entering works through it.
- Juried literaryThis cycle closed
National Book Awards
National Book Foundation
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- U.S. publisher
- Fee
- $135 non-refundable entry fee for each submitted title, paid by the publisher Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Juried literaryRules not verified
Pulitzer Prizes, Books
The Pulitzer Prizes, Columbia University
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- Author or publisher, under the current rules
All publishing paths - Nomination onlyNext cycle not announced
National Book Critics Circle Awards
National Book Critics Circle (NBCC)
- No entry, considered automatically
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No open submissions; critics nominate
All publishing paths - Juried literaryRules not verified
PEN America Literary Awards
PEN America
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- Publisher or literary agent, depending on the prize; authors do not submit their own books
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Identity or communityDeadline November 22, 2026
Lambda Literary Awards
Lambda Literary
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Publisher, author, or authorized entrant
- Fee
- $115 per title for big five publishers and large university presses; $65 per title for small presses, independent publishers, and individual authors entering 1 to 10 titles; $55 per title at 11 or more titles Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Identity or communityDeadline September 18, 2026
National Jewish Book Awards
Jewish Book Council
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $175 handling fee per title ($140 earlybird rate for titles submitted by August 14, 2026), plus $75 for each additional category Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreOpens September 30, 2026
James Beard Book Awards
James Beard Foundation
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Open-call entrant: author, publisher, or publicist
- Fee
- $85 per entry, with waivers provided on request Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Trade or industryNext cycle not announced
PROSE Awards
Association of American Publishers (AAP)
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Who submits
- Publisher only; authors are directed to their editors
- Fee
- $115 per entry, paid by credit card online; a title entered in more than one category pays for each Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Independent pressDeadline December 15, 2026
IBPA Book Award
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Independent publisher or author-publisher who is an IBPA member
- Fee
- Members pay $99 for the initial entry and $99 for each additional entry; non-members pay $234 for the initial entry, which includes a $135 annual IBPA membership, then $99 per additional entry Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressRules not verified
Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards
Foreword Reviews
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- Independent publisher or author-publisher
- Fee
- Not confirmed. A per-entry fee applies, with a lower fee for additional categories and a cheaper early tier, but the amounts could not be read on the official page. Check before you pay. Checked September 14, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressDeadline March 4, 2027
Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY)
Jenkins Group
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $79 per category through October 14, 2026; $89 through December 16, 2026; $99 through the March 4, 2027 final deadline; $55 to add an ebook or regional category Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressDeadline February 12, 2027
Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $80 for the first category and $65 for each additional category; second category free for online entries paid by September 30, 2026 Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressDeadline January 21, 2027
Eric Hoffer Book Award
Hopewell Publications
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Anyone, including the author, publisher, or another entrant
- Fee
- $60 early registration, $75 regular registration, $45 for chapbooks; one fee per category registration Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreDeadline February 8, 2027
Nautilus Book Awards
Nautilus Book Awards (Boulder, Colorado)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $95 Early Bird (through November 30, 2026) or $130 Regular (December 1, 2026 to February 8, 2027) for the first category; additional categories $50 Early Bird or $75 Regular, up to four categories per book; $25 per additional volume of a multi-volume work Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreDeadline June 24, 2027
Living Now Book Awards
Jenkins Group
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $79 per entry through January 13, 2027; $89 through March 10, 2027; $99 through the June 24, 2027 final deadline Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreDeadline January 28, 2027
Axiom Business Book Awards
Jenkins Group
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $79 per entry through August 12, 2026; $89 through September 16, 2026; $99 through the January 28, 2027 final deadline Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressDeadline March 31, 2027
National Indie Excellence Awards
National Indie Excellence Awards
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or independent publisher
- Fee
- $85 per print book entry per category ($75 early bird through October 15); $70 per ebook entry per category Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline December 31, 2026
Book Excellence Awards
Book Excellence Awards
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $199 for one category and $99 for each additional category (one section of the page says $119); email subscribers are offered a discount Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline December 15, 2026
NYC Big Book Award
NYC Big Book Award (Independent Press Award family)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $99 per book entry per category, then $79 for each additional category per title; U.S. dollars only, no refunds Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline August 31, 2027
American Book Fest Best Book Awards
American Book Fest
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author, publisher, or industry professional
- Fee
- $77 per title per category through September 30, 2026, then $89 per title per category Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline April 1, 2027
Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest
Readers' Favorite
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- Entry fee not stated on the contest page we read; current pricing and any deadline tiers appear on the entry form Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline March 31, 2027
International Book Awards
American Book Fest
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $59 per title per category, with a 20 percent discount for entries received by September 30, 2026 Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Independent pressRules not verified
IndieReader Discovery Awards
IndieReader
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Independent publishing accepted
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- Independent author or publisher
Self-publishedHybrid publisher - GenreDeadline December 7, 2026
Edgar Allan Poe Awards (Edgar Awards)
Mystery Writers of America (MWA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Who submits
- Publisher normally submits; the author may also submit
- Fee
- No entry fee Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Reader votedNext cycle not announced
Agatha Awards
Malice Domestic Ltd
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; Malice Domestic registrants and Friends of Malice nominate, and convention attendees vote
- Fee
- Not confirmed. No entry fee is stated, and there is nothing to enter: registrants nominate and convention attendees vote. Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Reader votedNext cycle not announced
Anthony Awards
Bouchercon (World Mystery Convention), administered by each year's local organizing committee
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; Bouchercon registrants nominate and attendees vote
- Fee
- No entry; convention registration is required to nominate or vote Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreThis cycle closed
RWA Diamond Heart Award
Romance Writers of America (RWA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- The author enters directly through the RWA contest platform
- Fee
- RWA members pay $65 for a first entry and $85 for a second; non-members pay $105 per entry Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Reader votedNext cycle not announced
Hugo Awards
World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), presented at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon)
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; Worldcon members nominate and vote
All publishing paths - GenreNext cycle not announced
Nebula Awards
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA)
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; SFWA members nominate and vote. Members may add works to the reading list, but not their own, their clients', or their publisher's works
All publishing paths - Reader votedRules not verified
Locus Awards
Locus magazine (Locus Science Fiction Foundation)
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Independent publishing accepted
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- No submissions; readers vote in the online poll
All publishing paths - GenreDeadline January 15, 2027
Bram Stoker Awards
Horror Writers Association (HWA)
- Author may enter
- Reader or member nomination
- Juried
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- HWA members recommend works; authors, publishers, publicists, agents, or legal representatives may submit an electronic copy to the category jury through the Awards Committee
- Fee
- No entry fee is listed in the rules; HWA membership is required to recommend or vote, not to submit a work to a jury Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Juried literaryOpens January 7, 2027
National Poetry Series Open Competition
The National Poetry Series
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- The poet submits the manuscript directly
- Fee
- $35 per manuscript Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Juried literaryThis cycle closed
Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and Kate Tufts Discovery Award
Claremont Graduate University (CGU), School of Arts and Humanities
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- The author, or a publisher, agent, or other representative with the poet's consent
- Fee
- No entry fee is listed on the eligibility or FAQ pages Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Nomination onlyDeadline December 31, 2026
ALA Youth Media Awards (Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Coretta Scott King, and related awards)
American Library Association (ALA) and its divisions and round tables: Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Who submits
- Publishers send copies to the committees; anyone may suggest a title on the official form, but publishers, authors, and editors may not nominate their own titles for the Printz
- Fee
- No entry fee Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Identity or communityDeadline December 1, 2026
Schneider Family Book Award
American Library Association (ALA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Anyone may suggest a title on the application form; publishers, agents, and others with a financial interest must disclose it
- Fee
- No entry fee Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - GenreThis cycle closed
Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (Eisner Awards)
Comic-Con International
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Publishers or creators; a publisher may submit a set of entries for each imprint
- Fee
- No entry fee is listed in the call for entries Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Trade or industryNext cycle not announced
Harvey Awards
ReedPop, in association with New York Comic Con
- Reader or member nomination
- Reader-voted
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; nominees are announced by the awards organization and industry professionals vote
- Fee
- No entry Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Juried literaryDeadline December 1, 2026
Plutarch Award
Biographers International Organization (BIO)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Who submits
- BIO members (including for their own books) via the nomination form; publishers by emailing plutarch@biographersinternational.org for instructions
- Fee
- No entry fee is listed Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Nomination onlyNext cycle not announced
getAbstract International Book Award
getAbstract
- No entry, considered automatically
- Juried
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- No submissions; getAbstract's editors compile the longlist and a jury selects the shortlist and winner
All publishing paths - Trade or industryThis cycle closed
IACP Cookbook Awards
International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Publisher or author, through the IACP Submittable page
- Fee
- Not confirmed. Early-bird pricing March 18 to April 1, 2026, then regular pricing; the amounts are shown on the Submittable forms and were not visible on the pages checked Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Juried literaryDeadline November 1, 2026
Bancroft Prize
Columbia University in the City of New York (Columbia University Libraries)
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Who submits
- Publishers or their representatives
- Fee
- No entry fee Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Juried literaryThis cycle closed
Cundill History Prize
McGill University
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Who submits
- Publishers only
- Fee
- No entry fee is listed Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Trade or industryRules not verified
ECPA Christian Book Awards
Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA)
- Publisher or agent entry only
- Juried
- Current rules not verified
- Who submits
- Publisher, according to the program structure; confirm on the ECPA submissions page
Traditionally publishedHybrid publisher - Identity or communityNext cycle not announced
Publishing Triangle Awards
The Publishing Triangle
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Not specified on the awards page; check the current call for submissions for whether publishers, authors, or both may enter
All publishing paths - Identity or communityNext cycle not announced
Hurston/Wright Legacy Awards
Hurston/Wright Foundation
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author, publisher, or literary agent
- Fee
- Fee not stated on the awards page; check the submission guidelines Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Identity or communityDeadline November 6, 2026
NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Literary Work categories
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Submissions are made through the Image Awards site; the press release does not say whether publishers, authors, or both may enter
- Fee
- Not confirmed. Entry fees apply; the amounts are on the submission site and were not in the announcement Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Trade or industryDeadline October 9, 2026
Audie Awards
Audio Publishers Association (APA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Publishing companies and audio rights holders, or others with the rights holder's written permission
- Fee
- $110 per entry for APA members, $210 for non-members; $50 late fee per entry Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalNext cycle not announced
Texas Institute of Letters Literary Awards
Texas Institute of Letters (TIL)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Not stated on the awards page; the entry form posted October 1 sets out who may enter
- Fee
- Fee, if any, is published with the entry form on October 1, 2026 Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalDeadline November 20, 2026
Minnesota Book Awards
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author, publisher, or agent
- Fee
- $45 per entry for the first four books from a publisher; $20 each for additional books from the same publisher; needs-based fee waiver available for author-submitters (six physical copies still required; waiver does not apply when a publisher or agent submits) Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalNext cycle not announced
Colorado Book Awards
Colorado Humanities, with Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher, by online entry form
- Fee
- $60 per entry, payable by credit or debit card, as posted on the submission requirements page Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalThis cycle closed
Pacific Northwest Book Awards
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Publishers, or a nominator on behalf of the author or illustrator
- Fee
- $75 per nominated title, $50 for PNBA member publishers located in the eligible states; non-refundable and paid at nomination Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalDeadline December 11, 2026
Florida Book Awards
Florida State University Libraries
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Authors, publishers, literary agents, or any member of the public
- Fee
- $70 per title; $80 per title in the late window from November 12; publishers entering six or more titles pay half price after the fifth Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - RegionalDeadline December 31, 2026
Ohioana Book Awards
Ohioana Library Association
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Geography or community eligibility
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Anyone may nominate, including the author or illustrator
- Fee
- No fee is listed on the nomination form Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionThis cycle closed
The BookFest Book Awards
Black Chateau Enterprises, with Books That Make You (Southern California)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author, publisher, or publicist
- Fee
- $74.99 for one category, $174.99 for three, $249.99 for five, $58.99 for each further category, plus $25 shipping for a print copy in most categories Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionDeadline August 15, 2027
Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards
The Independent Author Network (IAN)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $59 for the first category and $35 for each additional one; $49 and $30 for IAN members; not refundable Checked September 14, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Self-publishedHybrid publisher - Paid-entry recognitionNext cycle not announced
Literary Titan Book Award
Literary Titan (a review site founded in 2017)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Not stated on either page. In practice, whoever buys the review service submits the book.
- Fee
- Starting at $59 for the review, which includes award entry Checked September 14, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths - Paid-entry recognitionThis cycle closed
San Francisco Book Festival
JM Northern Media LLC (Hollywood, California)
- Author may enter
- Juried
- Entry fee
- Independent publishing accepted
- Who submits
- Author or publisher
- Fee
- $50 per entry, each category a separate entry; not refundable Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
All publishing paths