Costa Book Awards
Costa Book Awards
Annual literary award for English books by writers residing in the UK and Ireland (1971–2021). Formerly known as Whitbread Book Awards. Costa Short Story Award established in 2012, discontinued in 2022.
- Established
- 1971
- Organizer
- Costa Coffee (formerly sponsored by Whitbread)
- Category
- Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
- Selection Method
- Open call
- Target
- Newcomer
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around January
- Status
- Active
Description
Costa Book Awards (formerly Whitbread Book Awards) was established in 1971 as an annual literary prize for English-language works by writers residing in the UK and Ireland. It operated as Whitbread Book Awards from 1971–2005 and was renamed Costa Book Awards from 2006 under Costa Coffee sponsorship. The award was divided into five categories: novel, first novel, children's book, poetry, and biography (short story added later). After selecting category winners, 'Book of the Year' was chosen from them. It is known for valuing both literary merit and readability/entertainment. The short story award (established 2012) combined anonymous judging with public voting. The award was discontinued in 2022, with 2021 being the final ceremony.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Prize money for each category winner
- Cash Prize
- 5,000 GBP
- Short Story Award (Costa Short Story Award): 1st £3,500, 2nd £1,000, 3rd £500
- There were years when a publisher fee (reported example: £5,000) was required for shortlist inclusion
- Book of the Year, selected from category winners, receives additional recognition and attention (no specific additional prize amount mentioned)
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submission (Entry) | Entries by publishers etc. (submissions usually via publishers) | Unknown | Organizer handles submission acceptance (no specific deadlines noted in public documents) |
| Shortlisting | Judging panels per category (formed annually) | Unknown | Shortlist announced by organizer (often late year to early next year) |
| Category winners determination | Category judging panels conduct final selection and decide winners | Unknown | Category winners usually announced in January |
| Book of the Year selection (Overall/Costa Book of the Year) | Judges select the best work from category winners | Unknown | Book of the Year announced around the same time as category winners (usually January) |
| Costa Short Story Award process (Short Story Award) | Panel anonymously selects 6 works for shortlist (unpublished works handled anonymously) | 1 work selected from shortlist of 6 by public vote | After shortlist publication, winner determined by public vote and announced |
Criteria
- Literary merit (style, depth and originality of theme)
- Readability and entertainment value (appeal to a wide audience)
- Category suitability (matches the entered category)
- Eligibility requirements (written in English, author residing in UK or Ireland)
- Quality of publication and editing
Application Tips
Dos
- Confirm eligibility requirements in advance (written in English, author residing in UK or Ireland)
- Submit through publisher in the appropriate category
- For short story award, follow anonymity rules (anonymous submission for unpublished works)
- Check with publisher for any shortlist inclusion or submission fees
Don''ts
- Do not submit works that do not meet eligibility (language, residency requirements, etc.)
- Do not include author name or information that compromises anonymity in short story award
- Do not send manuscripts with insufficient proofreading or editing
From Judges
- Judging emphasizes both literary merit and reader appeal (readability)
- Short story award judged anonymously, with winner sometimes decided by public vote
- Category suitability and publication quality (editing, binding, etc.) are also evaluated
Related Awards
- Whitbread Book Awards (former name)
- Booker Prize
- Costa Short Story Award
- Blue Peter Book Award
- Waterstones Children's Book Prize
- Carnegie Medal
- Kate Greenaway Medal