February 15, 2024, 10:30am
Today, the National Book Foundation announced a change in the eligibility criteria for the annual National Book Awards for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature. Beginning with the 75th National Book Awards, submissions for which open on March 13 of this year, the prizes will be open not only to US citizens but also “authors who maintain their primary, long-term home in the United States, US territories, or Tribal lands.”
In this, the National Book Awards will follow in the footsteps of the Pulitzer Prizes, whose board expanded eligibility guidelines with similar language last year, after pressure from the literary community.
“The Foundation is eager to take this key step towards ensuring that the National Book Awards are welcoming to all writers living and working in the United States,” said Ruth Dickey, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, in a press release. “As we reflect on the rich 75-year history of the National Book Awards and look to the future, we believe that the National Book Awards must celebrate the widest possible array of voices and stories published in the United States in order to continue bringing essential works to readers and communities across the country.”
The longlists for the 2024 National Book Awards will be announced in September, and the finalists, five in each category, will be revealed on Tuesday, October 1. The winners will be announced at the 75th National Book Awards, which is currently scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, 2024.