Posted on Leave a comment

The Most Prestigious Literary Awards An Author Can Receive

Aspiring actors dream of accepting an Oscar, and ambitious American writers fantasize about nabbing one of the six prestigious literary awards below. 

The Booker Prize

Awarded yearly to the best English language novel, the Booker Prize is considered by some to be the top literary honor in the Western world, and is included on the shortlist of finalists is even regarded as a noteworthy accomplishment.

Originally, only authors from the Commonwealth, Ireland, South Africa, and Zimbabwe were eligible for the prize. In 2014, the Booker committee opened it up to any novel written in English.

Each year, the Booker Prize Foundation assembles a seven-person panel of librarians, publishers, literary agents, and booksellers to pick the winner.

Nobel Prize for Literature

The Nobel Prize for Literature was first awarded in 1901, and nearly every year since it’s been given to a writer whom the Swedish Academy believes has “produced the most outstanding work” of literature “in an idealistic direction.” Unlike other literary awards, the Nobel Prize for Literature celebrates an author’s entire body of work instead of a single piece.

Ties have happened, and some years nobody was chosen. To date, 117 authors have received the award, 101 of which were men and 16 women. Frenchman René François Armand Prudhomme — better known as Sully Prudhomme — was the first Nobel laureate for literature. American Louise Elisabeth Glück took the prize in 2020.

Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is the top American authorship award. First handed out in 1918, the Pulitzer celebrates a work of fiction, penned by an American writer, which deals with American life, published in the previous year.

The first recipient was Ernest Poole for his book “His Family.” Colson Whitehead won in 2020 for “The Nickel Boys.”

The Pulitzer Prize for Literature is one of six Pulitzers awarded each year in the letters and drama category. The others are drama, history, biography or autobiography, poetry, and general nonfiction.

The National Book Awards

Established in 1936, the National Book Awards are awarded every November to winners in five categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and young people’s literature. Two-lifetime achievement awards are also given annually. The decision committee disbanded during World War II, but it was revived in 1950.

Like the Pulitzer, only American authors are eligible.

Being shortlisted for National Book Awards is prestigious in and of itself, as is becoming a finalist.

The Hugo Awards

The Hugo Awards are presented annually for achievements in science fiction and fantasy literature. Managed by the World Science Fiction Society, the Hugos are named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of Amazing Stories, a seminal science fiction magazine. The first Hugo was awarded in 1955, and the tradition continues today.

Currently, prizes are awarded in seventeen categories, including novel, novella, graphic story, semiprozine, fanzine, professional editor, and an artist.

The Goodreads Choice Awards

Sure, it’s fair to characterize the Goodreads Choice Awards as the People’s Choice Awards of the literary world — but hey, readers fuel the book economy, and their opinions matter. The digital home of bookworms launched the awards in 2009. Currently, there are 20 categories, ranging from best fiction to best young adult fantasy, and it’s growing in prestige.

So get writing, all you aspiring American authors. Who knows, one day, you may find yourself taking home a Booker, Nobel, Pulitzer, Hugo, Goodreads Choice, or National Book Award.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *