We are now accepting entries for the 2026 National Book Awards.
Click here to access the online entry form via Submittable.
DEADLINES & KEY DATES | ELIGIBILITY | SUBMISSION PROCESS | ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS | FAQ
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the National Book Awards, books must meet both of the following core criteria:
- 1. Published by a US publisher located in the United States; and
- 2. Published within the eligibility period of December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria for the Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature Awards
To be eligible for the Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature Awards, authors must:
- 1. Either hold US citizenship or maintain their primary, long-term home in the United States, US territories, or Tribal lands, regardless of immigration status, at the commencement of the eligibility period for the current Awards cycle (December 1, 2025); and
- 2. Be alive at the commencement of the eligibility period (December 1, 2025).
The following are eligible:
- Books originally written in English
- Full-length books of fiction and nonfiction
- Full-length collections of short stories by a single author
- Full-length collections of essays by a single author
- Full-length collected and selected poems by a single author
- Full-length self-published books, only if the author/publisher also publishes titles by other authors. The Foundation may request the publisher’s catalog to verify.
The following are NOT eligible:
- Anthologies containing work written by multiple authors
- Books published through self-publishing platforms or publishing services
- Reprints of books published in previous Awards cycles. At the National Book Foundation’s discretion, exceptions may be made for otherwise eligible books published outside the United States in the previous Awards cycle.
Eligibility Criteria for the Translated Literature Award
To be eligible for the Translated Literature Award:
- 1. Both author and translator must be alive at the commencement of the eligibility period (December 1, 2025);
- 2. There are no citizenship or residency requirements for either author or translator.
The following are eligible for the Translated Literature Award:
- English translations of published works of fiction or nonfiction only
- Translated works published between December 1, 2025 and November 30, 2026. The original text need not have been published within the eligibility period, only the translated work.
- Full-length books of fiction (including novels in verse) and nonfiction
- Full-length collections of short stories by a single author
- Full-length collections of essays by a single author
- Full-length self-published books, only if the author/publisher also publishes titles by other authors. The Foundation may request the publisher’s catalog to verify.
The following are NOT eligible for the Translated Literature Award:
- Collections of poetry—only works of fiction or nonfiction are eligible in this category
- Anthologies containing work written by multiple authors
- Books published through self-publishing platforms and services, including Kindle Direct Publishing
- Reprints of books published in previous Awards cycles. At the National Book Foundation’s discretion, exceptions may be made for otherwise eligible books published outside the United States in the previous Awards cycle.
Kindly note that in the event of a dispute as to eligibility, the Foundation will decide whether a book is eligible, and its decision will be binding.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
OVERVIEW
Only publishers may submit titles. To maintain the ethical wall between the Foundation and authors whose work may be up for consideration, all communications about submissions must be conducted by the publisher.
Submitting titles for consideration is a two-step process:
- 1. Complete the online entry form via Submittable, which opens on March 25, 2026 and closes on May 13, 2026 (8:00pm EDT). Please review the eligibility criteria above closely before submitting.
- 2. Provide digital and hard copies of submitted titles to the Foundation and judges by June 5, 2026 (see section below for details).
FEES
There is a $135 entry fee for each submitted title. Accepted forms of payment include credit card and ACH via Stripe, or invoice. Due to the volume of submissions, please note that the Foundation prefers that publishers pay with Stripe.
Entry fees are non-refundable. Publishers whose submitted books are deemed ineligible by the Foundation will still be subject to the stated entry fee of $135 per title. Please review the eligibility criteria above closely before submitting.
The chair of each judging panel may “call in” titles through the Foundation office that have not been submitted by publishers. The Foundation then asks publishers to submit these titles for consideration, assuming they meet eligibility requirements. Publishers may submit at their own discretion. The $135 fee applies to all call-in titles.
PROVIDING DIGITAL & HARD COPIESTo guarantee consideration of titles submitted via the entry form, publishers are required to provide both:
- 1. A digital copy of each submitted title (in PDF format) via an additional form in Submittable, outlined in the request email sent after completing the entry form; and
- 1. A digital copy of each submitted title (in PDF format) via an additional form in Submittable, outlined in the request email sent after completing the entry form; and
- 2. Hard copies of each submitted title (one copy to the Foundation’s office, and one to each of the judges in the appropriate category). All relevant mailing addresses are included in the confirmation email sent after completing the entry form.
Publishers will receive two emails after completing the entry form: a confirmation email with instructions for hard copies, and a request email with a link to submit the digital copy in an additional form via Submittable.
Friday, June 5 is the deadline for providing digital and hard copies of all submitted titles. Please note:
- Publishers are strongly encouraged to provide copies as soon as they are available.
- Bound manuscripts, galleys, and ARCs are all acceptable as copies. (Unbound manuscripts will not be accepted. Publishers are welcome to follow up with the final version when available if they wish.)
- Digital copies must be received by the Foundation by 8:00pm EDT on June 5, 2026, and hard copies must be postmarked by the same date.
- If copies of a submitted title are provided after the deadline, judges are not obligated to consider the title but may do so at their discretion.
If you have any concerns about being able to deliver copies of your submitted titles by the June 5 deadline, please email awards@nationalbook.org before 8:00pm EDT on June 5, 2026.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS
By submitting titles for consideration via the online entry form, publishers agree to:
- Ensure that each author is aware of and consents to the entry of their book for the National Book Awards.
- Receive any additional questions from National Book Foundation staff via the submitter’s email, which will also be used in the case that a title becomes part of the Longlist. If this person is new to the process, please make sure they are familiar with all the guidelines and deadlines on this page.
- Contribute toward a promotional campaign if a submitted book becomes a Finalist. For presses with income of $10 million or above, a contribution of $3,000; under $10 million, a contribution of $750; and for presses with income under $1 million, the fee is waived.
- Inform authors that, if selected as Finalists, they must agree to attend the Foundation’s National Book Awards events, the details of which will be conveyed to them by the Foundation through their publisher.
PRIZES
For each of the five categories—Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature—there are five Judges, including a panel chair, chosen by the National Book Foundation.
- The Foundation will announce Longlists of ten books in each category in mid-September.
- The Foundation will announce the twenty-five Finalist books, five in each category, on October 6, 2026.
- One Winner in each category will be announced at the National Book Awards Ceremony on November 18, 2026.
- Each Winner will receive a prize of $10,000. Each Finalist will receive a prize of $1,000. In the case of the Translated Literature Award, prizes are split equally between author and translator. In the case of co-authored works, prizes are split equally between authors.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can an author submit their own book for consideration?
No. The entry form must be completed by the author’s publisher in order for a book to be considered.
Is my self-published book eligible?
Self-published books are not eligible if published via a publishing service or platform, such as Kindle Direct Publishing. However, if a self-publisher: 1) publishes more than one author, and 2) does not publish through a publishing service, the title would be eligible. The National Book Foundation may request a catalog of titles from a self-publisher to verify eligibility.
What is the difference between the May deadline and the June deadline?
The mid-May deadline is for submitting titles for consideration via the online entry form, and the June deadline is for providing copies of the titles that have already been submitted for consideration. In order for a title to be considered for the 2026 National Book Awards, publishers must submit the title via the online entry form before it closes on May 13, 2026. Publishers have until June 5, 2026, to provide the digital and hard copies of their submitted titles for the judges to read.
Is it possible to submit a book for consideration even though the entry form is closed?
Unfortunately, no titles can be submitted for consideration after the entry form closes at 8:00pm EDT on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
If the publisher misses the June deadline for providing copies, is the book disqualified?
No, but the book will no longer be guaranteed consideration. Submitting a title via the entry form is the first step of the submission process (see Submission Process section above). The second step is providing copies of the titles for the judges to consider. Digital and hard copies of submitted titles must be provided by June 5, 2026, in order guarantee consideration. If copies of a submitted book are provided after the deadline, the book will not be disqualified, but will only be considered at the judges’ discretion.
What if galleys of a submitted title won’t be available before June 5, 2026?
In the case where a galley copy of a title won’t be available until after June 5, 2026, please send a bound manuscript postmarked by the June 5, 2026 deadline (see Submission Process section). If you have any concerns about being able to deliver copies of your submitted titles by the June 5 deadline, please email awards@nationalbook.org.
How will the publisher know if judges have received copies of the books?
In advance of the June 5 deadline, the Foundation will contact any publisher who has submitted titles for which the National Book Foundation has not yet received digital copies. To ensure sufficient time for mailing hard copies, a reminder will also be sent via email to all submitters two weeks before the June 5 deadline.
What if a book could be considered in more than one category?
Books may only be submitted in one category. It is the publisher’s responsibility to choose the most appropriate category when submitting the book for consideration.
Are graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and/or comics eligible for the National Book Awards?
Yes, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements.
How many titles are submitted for the National Book Awards?
In 2025, 1,835 titles were considered for the National Book Awards. Of these titles, 434 were for Fiction, 652 were for Nonfiction, 285 were for Poetry, 139 were for Translated Literature, and 325 were for Young People’s Literature.
When will the publisher be notified if a book entered for consideration is on the Longlist?
If a book is chosen for the Longlist, the contact person who submitted the book will be notified in mid-September. For details regarding Longlist, Finalist and, other National Book Award–related announcements, please sign up for our newsletter.
What if I have questions that aren’t answered here?
Please email questions about your submissions to awards@nationalbook.org.