2025 Georgia Author of the Year Awards

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Please carefully review these guidelines before submitting a nomination. Please note that you must have a Submittable account prior to filling out the nomination form. You may create a free account here.

Nomination Fee

$65 per nomination

Deadline

Monday, February 17, 2025 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Eligibility

  • Books and chapbooks published within the 2024 calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Reprints and second editions are not eligible.
  • Books will not be considered nominated if any of these guidelines are not met and materials and payment are not postmarked by February 17, 2025. 

Required Materials

The following required materials must be received by February 17, 2025 (postmarked).

  • Nomination form;
  • $65 nomination fee;
  • A digital copy of the book (strongly preferred; if digital copy is not available, please see instructions on form).

Definition of a Georgia Author for the 61st GAYA

To be considered a Georgia author and thus eligible for nomination for GAYA, an author must meet one of the following criteria: 

  • The author must have been a resident of Georgia when the nominated book was written, though they may have since moved out of state; or 
  • The author must currently live in Georgia when the book is nominated.

Definitions of GAYA Categories for the 61st GAYA

A book may be nominated in only one category and is selected by the nominator.

Categories:

  • Fiction (subcategories) 
  1. First Novel—First published novel by a single author (any genre)
  2. Literary Novel—A non-genre novel by a single author
  3. Short Story Collection—A collection of short stories by a single author
  4. Detective/Mystery—A novel by a single author featuring a crime or crimes
  5. Romance—A novel by a single author intended for the mass-market and involving a primary focus on relationships
  6. Science Fiction/Fantasy— A novel by a single author that is grounded in the science or technology of the future, and/or fantastical elements.
  7. Graphic Novel—A narrative work where the story is told not only through words, but also sequential art and can be fiction or nonfiction
  • Nonfiction (subcategories) 
  1. Biography—A life history that is a fact-based, referenced life story of a person, a group of people, or a family;  category does not include autobiography, which should be nominated under memoir
  2. History—Research-based books which use narratives to examine and analyze past events
  3. Inspirational—Books on topics in self-help, life improvement, motivational, religious, or spiritual
  4. Memoir—A book that is an account of one’s personal life and experiences
  5. Essay Collection—A collection by a single author that sustains a single topic or theme. It may not be an anthology of essays by multiple authors
  • Poetry (subcategories) 
  1. Chapbook—By a single poet and generally no more than 40 pages
  2. Full-Length Book—By a single poet
  • Children’s Book—Books written for ages 9 and younger, including picture books, fiction or nonfiction
  • Young Adult—Books written for ages 10 and older and are either fiction or nonfiction
  • Cookbook/Culinary—Books that contain a collection of recipes, techniques, or focus on the exploration of food, cooking, and culture of food
  • Specialty Book—Anthologies of poetry, creative non-fiction, and fiction, and books that include a visual element such as art or photography

In the Event a Category Has Fewer than Four Nominees

If a category has fewer than four nominees, authors will have the opportunity to move their books to the next best category. For example, if there are only two books in the Cookbook category, authors will be notified and may choose to place the book in the Specialty Book category.

In the Event an Award Is Not Made in a Category

Georgia Writers Association reserves the right to not award a winner in a category if it is determined that none of the nominations should win. If no winner is selected due to a lack of sufficient nominations in a category, the nomination fee will be refunded. However, if the category judge determines that a category has no first– or second–place winner, the nomination fee will not be refunded.

Breach of Eligibility

If authors are no longer residents of Georgia, they may be asked to provide proof that their book was written or published while living in the state of Georgia. In the event an author is determined to be GAYA-ineligible, the author will be disqualified, and the nomination fee will not be refunded.

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