The evaluation of creative works is notoriously subjective, so I get why the criteria are pretty vague, but I'd be happier if there were clearer criteria. Ratings, as in a point system, wouldn't work, but it would be nice to know the factors the judges consider.
I used to enter indie book award contests with fair success. I gave it up because winning them did nothing for sales. It's true that they vary a lot in quality, though I think we could probably find at least a couple that are consistent. Maybe an organize like ALLi should consider doing its own. That's mostly because there are some great indie authors, but they aren't eligible for most of the traditional prizes.
Thanks for the recommended lists. It's always good to have more sources.
Love it. I actually would hate to see them decide these by rubric of point by point criteria. Literature is mysterious and let’s keep it that way— as long as the dudes don’t always win!
Such a good point– my curiosity gets the best of me because I want to be in those rooms! I want to hear the discussion and know how they make such (what I think is) an important choice! But you’re absolutely right, the mystery is part of the magic. Thanks for that perspective shift!
I loved the awards committee scenes in American Fiction. I always wonder most about the years they didn’t give an award or split it. What was THAT about??
omg RIGHT?! Infighting? Hung jury?? Feels unfair to the authors, but I mean who knows what's happening behind those closed doors... Id rather them have a "tie" than no award, though
1. From the first paragraph alone you had me actually laughing out loud.
2. This post came at such a great time for me as I recently found myself thinking how on earth are there so many book awards and what is the difference!?!
This is the first year I’m actively paying attention to them and attempting to read a few from the big ones. However, I’ve realized while I love high quality writing some of the books feel like books for smart people and I’m more of an emo reader if that makes sense. But that doesn’t mean a book can’t be both but sometimes I’ve felt books to be a bit inaccessible to me while I just care more about feeling things.
Anywho, will be checking out some of these recs. I had no idea the Rabbit Hutch won the national book award, very impressive, will be getting it from my library.
An award suggestion- I love debut authors and the Center for Fiction has a First Novel Prize and they just announced their long list. A few of my favorite books this year were named so I am personally watching this list closely. Would recommend checking out! Some favs on it are Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and OYE by Melissa Mogollon.
OMG thank you so much for your kind words!!! I appreciate you reading and your thoughtful response. Totally hear you– "Books for smart people" can be so tedious and filled with superfluos language just for the sake of sounding intelligent. Pass on that.
But I love your recs and I have never heard of the first novel prize, though Martyr! was great so I will definitely take a look at the others. Thanks again! 📚💗
I know, I thought Flowers for Algernon was odd, too! Same with Coraline, even. But either way– both are great books, so I’m not mad! I have never heard of Rendezvous with Rama so I’ll def add it to the list!! thank you <3
This is so interesting, love this breakdown! In India, there is an award called the Sahitya Akademi award that is given to an excellent work of writing in any language (I just learned about this recently after reading and loving one of its winners). I would love to learn more about awards given to non-English language books, since so many are focused on the English language.
Thank you for this!!! Yes I totally agree– there are so many awards out there, so I wanted to start with the basics, but I love translated works so definitely will need to dive into non-english awards/global awards at some point too! Will definitely add that to my list.
Thank you for reading & sharing! It means so much.
There are also national book awards for new titles that were published by independent publishers not just by the Big Five Publishers--for example, there are the National Indie Excellence Award and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
Have you seen the film Basquiat starring Jeffrey Wright as the artist? Highly recommend it!
Yes! So many I didn't get to. I love independent works and tend to lean towards those more than the big 5 so I can't believe I didn't include that!
Will need to take a closer look at winners of the Indie awards, I'm so excited. I have NOT seen Basquiat but I actually just learned about in a book I read about Basquiat! He is one of my favorite artists so I will absolutely have to check it out.
Thank you for the recommendation, and thank you for commenting/reading! I so appreciate it.
The Independent Publisher book awards or IPPYS is another legot one. The subject is confusing because some of the "book awards" accept any book that pays a fee and are not well juried so you get some real crap.
The evaluation of creative works is notoriously subjective, so I get why the criteria are pretty vague, but I'd be happier if there were clearer criteria. Ratings, as in a point system, wouldn't work, but it would be nice to know the factors the judges consider.
I used to enter indie book award contests with fair success. I gave it up because winning them did nothing for sales. It's true that they vary a lot in quality, though I think we could probably find at least a couple that are consistent. Maybe an organize like ALLi should consider doing its own. That's mostly because there are some great indie authors, but they aren't eligible for most of the traditional prizes.
Thanks for the recommended lists. It's always good to have more sources.
Love it. I actually would hate to see them decide these by rubric of point by point criteria. Literature is mysterious and let’s keep it that way— as long as the dudes don’t always win!
Such a good point– my curiosity gets the best of me because I want to be in those rooms! I want to hear the discussion and know how they make such (what I think is) an important choice! But you’re absolutely right, the mystery is part of the magic. Thanks for that perspective shift!
I loved the awards committee scenes in American Fiction. I always wonder most about the years they didn’t give an award or split it. What was THAT about??
omg RIGHT?! Infighting? Hung jury?? Feels unfair to the authors, but I mean who knows what's happening behind those closed doors... Id rather them have a "tie" than no award, though
I want to read all the winners and all the long listers! TBR stacks for days!!!
Hahaha right?! just when I thought my TBR stack couldn't get any larger...
1. From the first paragraph alone you had me actually laughing out loud.
2. This post came at such a great time for me as I recently found myself thinking how on earth are there so many book awards and what is the difference!?!
This is the first year I’m actively paying attention to them and attempting to read a few from the big ones. However, I’ve realized while I love high quality writing some of the books feel like books for smart people and I’m more of an emo reader if that makes sense. But that doesn’t mean a book can’t be both but sometimes I’ve felt books to be a bit inaccessible to me while I just care more about feeling things.
Anywho, will be checking out some of these recs. I had no idea the Rabbit Hutch won the national book award, very impressive, will be getting it from my library.
An award suggestion- I love debut authors and the Center for Fiction has a First Novel Prize and they just announced their long list. A few of my favorite books this year were named so I am personally watching this list closely. Would recommend checking out! Some favs on it are Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and OYE by Melissa Mogollon.
OMG thank you so much for your kind words!!! I appreciate you reading and your thoughtful response. Totally hear you– "Books for smart people" can be so tedious and filled with superfluos language just for the sake of sounding intelligent. Pass on that.
But I love your recs and I have never heard of the first novel prize, though Martyr! was great so I will definitely take a look at the others. Thanks again! 📚💗
How did you manage to make a post about book prizes funny? I loved this! And learned a lot. And now I have *even more to read.*
ALWAYS MORE TO REAAAAAD it’s the best/worst!!! 😂 but thank you so much Kolina that’s so kind, i appreciate it so much!!
🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
Very illuminating... thank you! Planning to give you a shoutout in my next post, about 'best of' lists.
Oh, that's so wonderful; I’m thrilled to hear it. I appreciate you reading and sharing!
This was so fun to read and I learned something! I could read prize winners alllllll day
Ahhh thank you Natalie, that's so nice, I appreciate you reading! And I know, really hard to go wrong with the prizewinners 🏆📚
Very interesting. All so seemingly random, but so many of the award committees seem to get it right.
I'm not sure why Flowers for Algernon qualifies for a Hugo...sci fi? maybe because of the fictional medical (therefore sci fi) procedure?
Again, if you are in the Hugo sphere, *have* to recommend you read Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (a multi - Hugo and Nebula award winner).
I know, I thought Flowers for Algernon was odd, too! Same with Coraline, even. But either way– both are great books, so I’m not mad! I have never heard of Rendezvous with Rama so I’ll def add it to the list!! thank you <3
This is so interesting, love this breakdown! In India, there is an award called the Sahitya Akademi award that is given to an excellent work of writing in any language (I just learned about this recently after reading and loving one of its winners). I would love to learn more about awards given to non-English language books, since so many are focused on the English language.
- Shruti
Thank you for this!!! Yes I totally agree– there are so many awards out there, so I wanted to start with the basics, but I love translated works so definitely will need to dive into non-english awards/global awards at some point too! Will definitely add that to my list.
Thank you for reading & sharing! It means so much.
There are also national book awards for new titles that were published by independent publishers not just by the Big Five Publishers--for example, there are the National Indie Excellence Award and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
Have you seen the film Basquiat starring Jeffrey Wright as the artist? Highly recommend it!
Yes! So many I didn't get to. I love independent works and tend to lean towards those more than the big 5 so I can't believe I didn't include that!
Will need to take a closer look at winners of the Indie awards, I'm so excited. I have NOT seen Basquiat but I actually just learned about in a book I read about Basquiat! He is one of my favorite artists so I will absolutely have to check it out.
Thank you for the recommendation, and thank you for commenting/reading! I so appreciate it.
The Independent Publisher book awards or IPPYS is another legot one. The subject is confusing because some of the "book awards" accept any book that pays a fee and are not well juried so you get some real crap.