Book of the Year Categories
The Book of the Year categories for The British Book Awards.
The British Book Awards is a celebration of books, and all who make them. It honours the stories that have been loved, shared and acclaimed throughout the year, alongside the teams whose unique mix of skills, savvy and hard work have carried those stories to readers.
The Book of the Year categories are judged on three equally important pillars:
- Storytelling Quality
- Publishing Excellence
- Sales Success
Full criteria and requirements for Book of the Year entries are available below...
Author of the Year
The Author of the Year award treads the fine line between the hard numbers of the bestseller lists and the writing excellence of the literary prizes. It seeks to reward and acknowledge authors whose books have achieved notable success and who have also contributed to the general health of the book world. The winning author should also have demonstrated either through their writing or advocacy, support for the publishing and bookselling sectors during this period, as well as other authors.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Illustrator of the Year
The Illustrator of the Year rewards and acknowledges the illustrators whose books have achieved critical, commercial or reputational success, and who have also contributed to the general health of the book world in 2024. The winning illustrator should also have demonstrated either through their work or advocacy, support for the publishing and bookselling sectors during this period, as well as other authors.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Fiction
To win a Fiction Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Romantic Fiction
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Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Crime & Thriller
To win the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Debut Fiction
To win the Debut Fiction Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Non-Fiction: Narrative
To win the Non-fiction: Narrative Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Non-Fiction: Lifestyle & Illustrated
To win the Non-fiction: Lifestyle & Illustrated Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Discover
The Discover award is for first publication of titles in print (and e-book) from any genre (including fiction, non-fiction and children’s), but specifically for books and authors from marginalised communities, including but not restricted to Black, Asian and minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, disabled, and working-class writers.
All publishers can submit to this award, but the intention is to showcase publications from independent publishers, small presses, and/or imprints focused on these sectors. In particular, we are looking for titles that have sold under 20,000 copies through Nielsen’s Total Consumer Market, but might benefit from the amplification this award can give.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Children's Non-Fiction
To win the Children's Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Children's Illustrated
To win the Children's Illustrated Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Children's Fiction
To win Children's Fiction Book of the Year Award you need a combination of three elements: the writer’s and/or the illustrator’s creative genius; brilliant publishing; and fantastic sales/charts success, including sustained sales over the year. Whatever the route the book has taken, the Book of the Year awards celebrate the whole journey from the author’s mind to the reader’s hand, and showcase the range and depth of modern publishing.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Audiobook: Non-Fiction
These awards recognise excellence across both storytelling and production in two categories: Fiction and Non- Fiction. Children’s AudioBooks may also be entered into these categories.
The AudioBook of the Year categories celebrate the process from text to listener, including the work of the narrator and audio production team. These awards regard sales success as imperative. For us a superbly narrated book is worthy of great praise – and receives it from regular literary prizes – but success, evidenced by overall sales or chart position, has to accompany its production.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
Audiobook: Fiction
These awards recognise excellence across both storytelling and production in two categories: Fiction and Non- Fiction. Children’s AudioBooks may also be entered into these categories.
The AudioBook of the Year categories celebrate the process from text to listener, including the work of the narrator and audio production team. These awards regard sales success as imperative. For us a superbly narrated book is worthy of great praise – and receives it from regular literary prizes – but success, evidenced by overall sales or chart position, has to accompany its production.
Please submit by completing the entry information below, including the submitter’s contact details. Full criteria, including word-length, formats and supplementary material requirements can be found below.
For queries, please email awards@thebookseller.com
