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  • Home
  • American Writing Awards
  • AWA AWARD WINNERS
  • HAWTHORNE PRIZE
  • FEATURED REVIEWS
  • FEATURED AUTHORS
  • About Us
  • SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
  • Products and Services
  • Contact Us
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CONTESTS

Hawthorne Prize

The American Writing Awards

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The American Writing Awards

The American Writing Awards

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Sports Book of the Year

The American Writing Awards

Sports Book of the Year

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2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2022 Hawthorne Prize Winner

2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE FINALISTS

    2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE SHORTLIST

      Hawthorne Prize

        

      What is it about?

      The Hawthorne Prize is an elite writing award founded by AmericanWritingAwards.com in honor of renowned American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne. A team of judges chooses one winner from among the year's best works of fiction--judges reserve the right to award more than one winner if they believe multiple works merit recognition.  A SHORTLIST of finalists is announced, followed by a Hawthorne Prize FINALIST announcement, then the WINNER declaration a week later.  The WINNER is hailed 'first among equals.'  


      Who is eligible to apply?

      Authors of age between 18-120 can apply.  Any book of FICTION published in the 4 years prior to the competition year and any book of fiction being published in the year following the competition year. Unpublished works of fiction are also accepted. 


      What are the guidelines?

      Authors must submit a work of FICTION--novel, novella, or short story collection--for consideration. The book must have a publication date within 4 years of the competition year and be published by an academic, commercial, or small press. Self-published books and unpublished manuscripts are also accepted. Electronic submission is the only accepted form of submission. Entries are judged based on multiple writing criteria, which include an author's story-telling ability, transitions, hooks, pacing, character development, dialogue, grammar, punctuation, and the overall impact it has on our judges. Check the entry form for more details.


      What’s the prize?

      Winners of the prestigious Hawthorne Prize will receive an official high-resolution Hawthorne Prize seal for promotional use and possible cover placement. The results of the competition will be published and promoted on AmericanWritingAwards.com and its different media channels, the author will be featured in the "Featured Author" section of the website, and the press release of winner(s), finalists, and short listers will be submitted to newspapers and media nationwide as well as referred to talent agents in New York and Los Angeles for possible manuscript review.

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM FEATURED PUBLISHER

      LIBRATUM.PRESS

      WE THE PRESIDENTS: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century

      WE THE PRESIDENTS: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century is not a traditional presidential history. Written by former tech CEO Ronald Gruner, this history is born out of his interest in understanding how and when American politics transitioned from merely polarized to openly hostile. Beginning with Warren G. Harding in 1921 and ending with Donald Trump in 2021, Gruner examines not a single presidency but instead the development of the presidency through a century of administrations. His experience as a CEO produces a very different view of presidential history. Instead of political power, Gruner concentrates on the economic and social accomplishments over seventeen presidencies inter-connecting American history.

      Growing up in Oklahoma and then living most of his adult life in Massachusetts, Gruner questioned how Americans had lost the common thread of Presidents over the last century working to build an America that represented and benefitted all. His goal was to write a history of the last century devoid of politics, political battles, and behind-the-scenes intrigue. Instead, readers will find a history of what impacted Americans and their economic well-being. WE THE PRESIDENTS discusses economic growth, personal income, income equality and taxation during each presidency and the influence those policies had through the decades on the American way of life.

      About Ronald Gruner

      Ronald Gruner’s experience as an accomplished executive has resulted in a different breed of presidential history. Gruner founded and served as chief executive of three successful technology firms during his long career. Taken from his business experience, WE THE PRESIDENTS focuses on results rather than politics; on economics rather than ideology, and on the interconnections linking presidential administrations rather than isolated presidencies. 

      LEARN MORE

      AMERICAN WRITING AWARDS BEST BOOKS OF 2021

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - NONFICTION

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - NONFICTION

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - NONFICTION


      The Sons of Chester: A Tale of Small Town Boys, Baseball, and Very Big Dreams by Craig Ohlau and Kevin L. Gingrich

      Black Rose Writing

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - FICTION

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - NONFICTION

      2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR - NONFICTION

      Behind the Lens by Jeannee Sacken

      Ten 16 Press (Imprint of Orange Hat Publishing)


      2021 AWA Category Winners and Finalists

      Art

      Winner
      FIGURED IT OUT: Drawings that Define a COVID-19 Experience by Anthony W. Lanier

      Enhanced DNA Publishing

        About Us

        2022 AWA Categories

        2022 AWA Categories

        • Welcome to AmericanWritingAwards.com. Our website and contests are grassroots creations built with the purpose of providing an avenue of recognition and pride for authors and publishers all over the world. Our goal each year is to be the most inclusive and influential award competition available to authors and publishers worldwide. We do this in a number of ways. The awards and services offered through our popular website--ranked 98/100 on website traffic and user interaction--are perfect promotional vessels to help launch careers, open markets, and compete on the global stage. The  American Writing Awards team is ALWAYS here to support you, answer any questions, and provide a most fulfilling experience in whatever contest or service you decide to take advantage of. Our contests are unique as they offer small presses, academic presses, micro presses, self-publishers, and even "Big 5" publishers and authors a chance to compete in the same arena for the same prize, entry fees are kept low--well below the industry standard for competitions of a similar caliber, there are multiple categories for entry--any author or publisher can nominate one or more of their books for an award, in multiple categories--a full list of American Writing Awards categories can be found below or on page 3 of the entry form, unpublished manuscripts are allowed entry--a great way to increase your book’s chances of future publishing offers, and all entrants submit their book digitally, as a PDF or eBook--avoiding the expenses and headaches of traditional mail. Our team of expert judges--Industry Professionals, Authors, College Professors--assesses your work in a fair and competent manner. Entries are judged based on multiple writing skills, which include an author's story-telling ability, transitions, hooks, pacing, character development, dialogue, grammar, punctuation, and overall impact. We are your chance to get noticed and we are dedicated to awarding excellence. You’ve put tremendous time and energy into your work--by winning our awards, you permanently build your credibility as an established author. Sign up now and get your work the attention it deserves.

        2022 AWA Categories

        2022 AWA Categories

        2022 AWA Categories

        OFFICIAL 2022 AWA CATEGORIES

        Did you know that the American Writing Awards has added TWO unique categories for OLDER books? The Legacy Fiction and Legacy Nonfiction categories accept books older than three years. Give your timeless book a chance at an award. 

         Check out our full list of categories.

        · Animals/Pets – General

        · Anthologies – Non-Fiction

        · Art

        · Autobiography/Memoirs

        · Best Cover Design – Fiction

        · Best Cover Design – Non-Fiction

        · Best New (Debut) Fiction

        · Best New (Debut) Non-Fiction

        · Biography – General

        · Business – General

        · Business – Entrepreneurship & Small Business

        · Business – Management & Leadership

        · Business – Personal Finance/Investing

        · Business – Sales

        · Children’s Educational

        · Children's Fiction

        · Children's Interactive

        · Children's Non-Fiction

        · Children’s Picture Book

        · Children's Religious

        · Cookbooks

        · Education/Academic

        · Fiction – General 

        · Fiction – Anthologies

        · Fiction – Fantasy

        · Fiction – Historical

        · Fiction – Horror

        · Fiction – Inspirational

        · Fiction – LGBTQ Fiction

        · Fiction – Multicultural 

        · Fiction – Mystery/Suspense

        · Fiction – New Age Fiction

        · Fiction – Novelette (7,500 to 17,500 words)

        · Fiction – Novella (17,500 to 40,000 words)

        · Fiction – Religious 

        · Fiction – Romance

        · Fiction – Science Fiction

        · Fiction – Thriller/Adventure

        · Fiction – Women's Fiction

        · Fiction – Young Adult 

        · Health – General

        · History – General

        · History – Military

        · History – United States

        · Home & Garden

        · Humor

        · Legacy - Fiction (Older than 3 years)

        · Legacy - Non-Fiction (Older than 3 years)

        · LGBTQ – Non-Fiction

        · Multicultural Non-Fiction

        · Non-Fiction – Narrative

        · Parenting & Family

        · Performing Arts – Film, Theater, Dance, Music 

        · Photography

        · Poetry

        · Religion

        · Self-Help

        · Social Change

        · Spirituality

        · Sports

        · Travel

        · True Crime – Non-Fiction

        · Young Adult – Non-Fiction

        · Women's Issues

        Frequently Asked Questions

        Please reach us at info@americanwritingawards.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

        No. The American Writing Awards and the Hawthorne Prize are separate contests with different categorical structures and award distributions.  


        Works are submitted through our easy nomination process by simply following the submission guidelines on the contest entry form. Entry forms can be found below or on one of the designated contest pages. 


        No. AmericanWritingAwards.com only accepts electronic submissions.


        Success Stories

        Thank You.

        Recognition leads to exposure.

        Recognition leads to exposure.

        "I feel honored to have been chosen as a Hawthorne Prize shortlister, especially with my novel being about a young Filipino-American girl, as in not super mainstream. It speaks volumes about the respect that your judging panel has for diversity in stories and in writers. I am so grateful for this opportunity!" 

        Maritza Refuerzo, Author of Groovy Girl 

        Recognition leads to exposure.

        Recognition leads to exposure.

        Recognition leads to exposure.

        "Getting a positive review from americanwritingawards.com was great for my book. It opened doors to the media attention that previously didn't exist, gave me instant credibility as an author, provided an avenue for awards, and...it increased sales. My awards and review are just the beginning of the many ways my small investment with americanwritingawards.com is paying off." 

        Craig Ohlau, author of The Sons of Chester and Kings of the County League

        Send us your success story. info@americanwritingawards.com

        Contests Entry Forms/Terms and Conditions

        American Writing Awards Terms and Conditions (pdf)Download
        Hawthorne Prize Terms and Conditions (pdf)Download
        2022 Sports Book of the Year Terms and Conditions (pdf)Download
        2022 AWA Entry Form (docx)Download
        Hawthorne Prize Entry Form (docx)Download
        Sports Book of the Year Entry Form (docx)Download

        Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.


        George Washington

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