Submit a
book.
A book is eligible if it was first published in the United States during the 2026 calendar year, in any print run, from any press, in any state of the union. It may be submitted by its author, its publisher, its bookseller, its translator — or by any reader in the country, who may nominate one book per category per season.
Nobody is billed
the same as their publisher.
The submission fee has not changed since 2004. It is set at a rate that a first-time author can afford, a small press can afford twice, and a large house can afford a hundred times over. It is not a business model. It is a barrier we have set as low as we can.
The reader, first-time author, translator, or public librarian.
Anyone submitting their own first book, in any category — or a translation, from a language other than English — pays nothing. Any submission from a US public library pays nothing.
- Any reader may submit one book per category
- Any translator may submit their own translation
- Any librarian may submit on behalf of their institution
The independent press.
Any press publishing fewer than one hundred titles per year, or with a total staff of fewer than twelve, pays the small-press rate. There are, at present, six hundred and twelve US presses qualifying.
- Independent, university, and small-press submissions
- No limit on the number of books submitted per category
- Fee waived, on application, for any press with net revenue below $250K
The commercial house, agent, or established author.
Any submission from a house of commercial scale, from a literary agent, or from an author with three or more previously published books, at the standard rate.
- Commercial house submissions, any category
- Agent submissions on behalf of any client
- Author submissions from four+ published books
We do not accept publisher advertising, sponsorships, or paid category placement.
Every book is read in the order it arrives. The rate at which it arrived does not affect the rate at which it is read.
The book,
from arrival to citation.
A schematic. The complete procedure — including the panel's protocols for recusal, tie-breaking, and re-reading — is set out in the guidelines.
You submit.
An electronic submission, followed by three physical copies mailed to Brooklyn. The book is logged and dated within seventy-two hours of receipt.
The panel reads.
The book is sent to all five panelists on its category panel. Each reads it in full. The panel begins reading on January 8 and does not stop until October 6.
The lists are drawn.
The panel meets in September to compose the longlist (ten books) and in November to compose the shortlist (five). Both are published without ceremony.
The citation is read.
On November 8, the panel sequesters to write the citation. On November 9, the citation is read aloud by the panel chair. That is the moment we tell you.
A book is not eligible under the following, narrow conditions. If you are unsure, we would rather you send the book than not; we will write to you within a week either way.
Begin a
submission.
The portal remains open through the last minute of March. About a seventh of every year's longlist arrives in the final week. It reads no more slowly for arriving late.
For readers with questions about their nomination, write to submissions@americanbookawards.com. We reply on Sundays.
Nominate a book.
One book per category, per reader, per season. Every field marked below is required; the panel reads the statement first.