World Literary Awards

Literary Awards

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580 literary awards

Pulitzer Prize for History

Established
1917
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Columbia University
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Nonfiction and Documentary Literature
Target
Professional
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around May
HistoryAmerican HistoryScholarly Books

A category of the Pulitzer Prize awarded to outstanding works on the history of the United States.

Prize: Medal, commendation, and the honor of winning (Refer to official information for detailed prize amount, as it is not specified in the text)

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Established
1918
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Columbia University (Pulitzer Prize Board)
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May
NovelsShort storiesShort story collectionsNovellas/Mid-length novelsFiction

An annual literary award given to outstanding fiction (such as novels and short story collections) by American writers.

Prize: Medal and literary prestige

Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Established
1922
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
The Pulitzer Prizes (Columbia University / Pulitzer Prize Board)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around May
PoetryLetters, Drama and Music

The poetry category of the Pulitzer Prize, awarded to outstanding American poetry. First awarded in 1922.

Prize: Prestigious award for poetry collections (official citation and cash prize awarded to the winning work). Historically, a $1,000 cash prize was established in the early years.

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Established
1918
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Pulitzer Prize Board (Columbia University)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Plays, Scripts, and Screenplays
Target
Professional
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around May
DramaPlaywriting

The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is awarded annually for a distinguished play by an American author. Eligible works are those staged in the United States during the preceding calendar year.

Prize: Medal and certificate (Pulitzer Medal/certificate) and cash prize

Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction

Established
1962
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Pulitzer Prize Board (Columbia University)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Plays, Scripts, and Screenplays
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around May
General NonfictionNonfictionLetters, Drama, and Music

Annual award given to nonfiction books published in the previous year by American authors. Established in 1962.

Pushcart Prize

Established
1976
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Pushcart Press
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Application Deadline
around December
PoetryShort FictionEssaysSmall Press Works

An annual U.S. literary award that honors outstanding works such as poetry, short fiction, and essays published by small presses.

Prize: Selected works are included and republished in the Pushcart Prize annual anthology

Quill Award

Established
2005
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Quills Foundation (supported by multiple media sponsors such as Reed Business Information)
Selection Method
Vote
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Newcomer
Book of the YearDebut AuthorAudio BookChildren's Illustrated BookChildren's Chapter Book/Middle GradeYoung Adult/TeenGeneral FictionGraphic NovelMystery/Suspense/ThrillerPoetryRomanceScience Fiction/Fantasy/HorrorReligion/SpiritualityBiography/MemoirBusinessCookingHealth/Self-ImprovementHistory/Current Events/PoliticsHumorSportsCorporate Literacy Award

American consumer-voting literary award held from 2005–2007. Established to promote reading and literacy awareness.

Prize: Awards in each category (including Book of the Year). No consistently announced prize amounts confirmed.

Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Awards

Established
1995
Frequency
Once a year (alternating between cash prize and fellowship every other year)
Organizer
Academy of American Poets (operation), The New York Community Trust (fund management)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around February
Announcement Period
around July
Translation awardPoetryItalian LiteratureTranslation Fellowship

Award recognizing American translators for publications of English translations of contemporary Italian poetry.

Prize: Alternating every other year: one is a book award (cash $10,000), the other is a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome with $20,000 research grant.

RUSA awards

Established
1996
Frequency
Annual (every year)
Organizer
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) — American Library Association (ALA)
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
FictionNonfictionPoetryAudiobookReferenceBusinessHistorical materialsProfessional achievementCookbooksBook & Media awards

A group of annual awards hosted by RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) that recognize books, media, and professional achievements.

Prize: Medals, commendations, list inclusions, grants, travel awards, etc. (many categories are honorary awards without cash prizes)

Robert Olen Butler Prize

Established
2004
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Del Sol Press
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Short storyFictionAmerican literary award

Short story prize organized by Del Sol Press, with final judging by Robert Olen Butler. Winning entries are included in the annual anthology.

Prize: Inclusion in the annual anthology for winning entries (Grand Prize and Honorable Mentions)

Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize

Established
1986
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
The Poetry Foundation
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May
PoetryLifetime Achievement AwardAmerican Literature Award

An annual award honoring the lifetime achievements of American poets. Awarded by the Poetry Foundation.

Prize: Cash prize (awarded to the recipient)

Scott Moncrieff Prize

Established
1965
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Translators Association (The Society of Authors)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Target
Open
Translation prizeLiterary translationFrench→English translation

Annual literary translation prize awarded to full-length translations from French to English (established in 1965).

Prize: £3,000 to the winner (£1,000 to the runner-up).

Sherwood Anderson Foundation Writers Award

Established
1988
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Sherwood Anderson Foundation
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
Literary awardGrantEmerging writers support

Annual literary award by the Sherwood Anderson Foundation granting funds to emerging writers.

Prize: Grant to emerging writers (financial amount not specified in source)

Sophie Brody Award

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
American Library Association (Reference and User Services Association - RUSA)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Publishing Culture and Book Culture
Target
Professional
Jewish literatureLibrary awardEnglish-language literary award

Annual medal (award) administered by the American Library Association (RUSA) and presented for outstanding achievements in Jewish literature. Established in 2006.

Prize: Recognition with the Sophie Brody Medal

St. Francis College Literary Prize

Established
2009
Frequency
Biennial (every two years)
Organizer
St. Francis College
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Literary awardFiction (novels)For mid-career writers

A US$50,000 literary prize awarded biennially by St. Francis College, targeting fiction from the 3rd to 5th books.

Prize: US$50,000 (prize money for mid-career writers, targeting 3rd to 5th fiction works)

St. Louis Literary Award

Established
1967
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Saint Louis University Library Associates
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
American literary awardsLiterary awardsFiction

Saint Louis University Library Associates' prestigious award given annually to distinguished literary figures since 1967.

Stone Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement

Established
0
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional

An award honoring lifetime contributions to literature.

Stonewall Book Award

Established
1971
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
American Library Association (ALA) Rainbow Round Table (RRT)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around January
LGBT LiteratureEnglish-language booksAmerican literary awardsFictionNonfictionChildren's & Young Adult

Annual literary award organized by the American Library Association (ALA) Rainbow Round Table for English-language books on LGBTQ experiences.

Prize: Plaque (shield) and $1,000 cash prize (USD), awarded at ALA Annual Conference

The Story Prize

Established
2004
Frequency
Annual
Organizer
The Story Prize (founder: Julie Lindsey; director: Larry Dark)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around March
Short fictionShort story collectionLiterary awardAmerican literary award

Annual American literary award for outstanding short story collections, established in 2004.

Prize: Winner receives $20,000; two runners-up receive $5,000 each; winner also receives an engraved silver bowl.

Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award

Established
1995
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Texas State University — College of Education
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around November
Children's literatureYoung adult literatureHispanic and Latino American literatureAmerican literary awardsUniversity-sponsored award

A U.S. literary award that honors children's and young adult books depicting Mexican American experiences. Established in 1995 by Texas State University College of Education, first awarded in 1996.

Wallace Stevens Award

Established
1994
Organizer
Academy of American Poets
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
PoetryLifetime achievementAmerican literature

Established in 1994, this U.S. award recognizes outstanding achievements in the art of poetry. Nominations are not accepted; selections are made by the Academy of American Poets' Board of Chancellors.

Prize: $100,000 USD

Walt Whitman Award

Established
1975
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Academy of American Poets
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September
PoetryFirst-bookEmerging poets

A poetry award to promote the publication of first poetry collections by emerging American poets. Sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, established in 1975.

Prize: Includes publication of the winning work (traditionally in LSU Press's Walt Whitman Award Series), $5,000 USD in cash, and a six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Italy (fully funded), among others.

William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition

Established
1993
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society (New Orleans)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Open
FictionNonfictionPoetry

An American literary competition, established in 1993, presenting awards in fiction, nonfiction and poetry and organized by the Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society of New Orleans.

Prize: Awards across multiple categories (examples in source: Novel, Narrative Non‑Fiction Book, Novella, Novel in Progress). Specific monetary amounts not listed in the source document.

Whiting Awards

Established
1985
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Whiting Foundation (Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around March–April
FictionNonfictionPoetryDrama

An annual Whiting Foundation prize for ten emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

Prize: Cash prize (each winner receives US$50,000, as of 2021)

Willis Barnstone Translation Prize

Established
2002
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
University of Evansville (The Evansville Review)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around December
Translation awardPoetryUniversity awardAmerican literary award

Annual prize for translations of poems into English, established by the University of Evansville in honor of Willis Barnstone.

Prize: Cash prize and publication of the winning poem(s) in The Evansville Review.

ACT Book of the Year

Established
1993
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
ACT Government（artsACT）
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around October
FictionNonfictionPoetryLiterary awardChildren's booksYoung adult

Annual literary award for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry by writers from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Prize money is AUD 10,000.

Prize: Cash prize (ACT Book of the Year): AUD 10,000

Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction

Established
1995
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Chimaera Publications (Presented by). Operational and hosting duties vary annually among Fantastic Queensland, SpecFaction NSW, Conflux Inc, Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation (WASFF), Continuum Foundation (ConFound), Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CSFG), etc.
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around November
Announcement Period
around February
Speculative fictionScience fictionFantasyHorrorYoung adultChildren's

Annual literary award targeting Australian SF, fantasy, and horror

Prize: Recognition upon winning (trophy/certificate) and industry recognition (no official prize money mentioned in the text)

The Australian / Vogel Literary Award

Established
1979
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
The Australian (newspaper), Allen & Unwin, Stevns & Company Pty Ltd
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around June
Literary prizeUnpublished manuscriptYoung writers (under 35)Novel

Australian literary award targeting unpublished manuscripts (originally for writers under 35). Awarded with AUD$20,000 prize money and a publishing contract.

Prize: Prize money and publishing contract (guaranteed publication by Allen & Unwin)

Chief Minister's Northern Territory History Book Award

Established
2004
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Northern Territory Library
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Nonfiction and Documentary Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around April
Announcement Period
around June–September
HistoryNonfictionRegional history

An award given to books related to the history of Australia's Northern Territory.

Prize: Main honor awarded to the winner (details such as prize money not specified in the article)

Miles Franklin Literary Award

Established
1957
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Established based on the estate of Miles Franklin (Estate of Miles Franklin). Operation/Sponsorship/Management: Perpetual (and related trustee organizations)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around May–July
Literary awardNovelAustralian literatureFiction

An annual Australian novel prize for English-language novels of high literary merit that portray Australian life.

Prize: Literary award (prestige) and cash prize awarded to the winning work. Significant attention and promotional benefits from longlist/shortlist selection.