Do you care about awards? Great! Awards can be a great way for writers to get recognition for their work. There are many different types of awards, each with its own criteria and prestige.
Some awards go to the best-written piece, some go to the most thought-provoking, some go to the most innovative piece, and others go to the person who has made the biggest difference in their field. The article below covers 7 of the most prestigious awards for writers who care about honors.
What literary awards have the highest prestige?
Literary awards, by their nature and purpose, will always be somewhat subjective, but there are some general guidelines that can be used to sort out what literary awards have the highest prestige.
Prestigious literary awards are awarded by organizations with a track record of recognizing excellence. They’re often awarded to books that have had a significant impact and have been published for some amount of time.
They’re given to authors who have made an impact on the world with their words, and they may not have been published for a long time. They’re often given to books that have been out of print for some time. Now, let’s take a look at some of the awards given to writers.
- Man Booker prize
In the UK, the Man Booker prize is given to the author of the best original full-length English-language novel. The award was founded in 1969 and is awarded by an independent panel of judges. The winner receives £50,000 and their book is given a special seal that indicates it has won the award.
- AMY Award
An International Amy award MacRae Memorial Award is a literary awards for memoir and offered to the author of an unpublished personal essay. The prize is $1,000 US and a $1,000 discount on a French writing retreat. Writers around the world may participate and publish a memoir. MacRae was a Vancouver-based writer and educator who died of ovarian cancer at the age of 35 on June 1, 2020.
- American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)
The ASJA is a group of journalists and authors who work in a variety of fields. The organization awards grants to members who are working on book-length projects that promote excellence and innovation in journalism. Grants are awarded in the following subject areas: – Children, Youth & Families – Diversity & Inclusion – Environment, Health & Science – Government, Politics & Law – Global Issues – Media & Society – Policy & Philanthropy – Sports
- The Unisquare Award
The Unisquare Award is given to books that deal with the topic of education. The award was created by the organization Unesco’s Literacy Commission and is given annually to books published in English. The award is designed to raise awareness about literacy issues and encourage others to take action in the field.
- Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prize is given annually to an author who has written a book that has had a significant impact on society and the world. The award has been given since 1901 by the Nobel Foundation, and winners are selected by a panel from the Swedish Academy. The winner receives a gold medal and a cash prize of around $1 million.
- Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is given annually to an author whose work has had a significant impact on society. The award was first given in 1917 by the trustees of the Pulitzer Prize and is funded by the Columbia University Endowment. The winner receives a prize of $10,000 and a certificate.
- National Book Award
The National Book Awards are awarded annually by the National Book Foundation. There are five categories that books can be entered into: fiction, nonfiction, young people’s literature, poetry, and translation. The award was established in 1950 by the American Book Publishers and has been presented annually since 1966. There are four judges per category, and the winner receives a medal and $10,000.
Wrapping up
Literary awards are given for a variety of reasons. Some are given for best written book, some for most significant impact on society, and others for best contribution to a particular field. It can be difficult to assess the prestige of individual awards as they are often subjective. However, prestigious literary awards are given by respected organizations and often go to books that have had a significant impact on the world.
