CONTESTS
The American Writing Awards
The American Writing Awards
The American Writing Awards
2022 Hawthorne Prize Winner
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.
What are the guidelines?
Authors must submit a work of FICTION--novel, novella, or short story collection--for consideration. The book must 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 Self-published books and unpublished manuscripts are also accepted.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.
FEATURED AUTHOR
Jeannée Sacken
A former English professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of North Carolina, Jeannée Sacken is a photojournalist who travels the world documenting the lives of women and children. She also photographs wildlife and is deeply committed to the conservation of endangered species. When not traveling, she lives in Shorewood, Wisconsin with her three cats, named for her favorite photographers. Behind the Lens is her debut novel. The second novel in the Annie Hawkins Green series, Double Exposure, is slated for publication in October 2022.
Visit https://www.jeanneesacken.com/home/ to learn more about Jeannée Sacken.
FEATURED AUTHOR
Dan Whitfield
Dan Whitfield is a multi-award-winning direct mail copywriter and novelist living in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, three daughters, and hundreds of books. Originally from the United Kingdom, Dan’s debut novel, Eagle Ascending, was published by TouchPoint Press in 2021. He contributed the short story Sometimes, They Come Quickly, to TouchPoint’s horror anthology, Nightmares of Strangers, in the same year. Dan’s next novel, The Spider’s Revenge, will be released in 2023.
FEATURED AUTHOR
Meg Nocero
Meg Nocero, a magical manifester, is a former federal prosecutor, an inspirational speaker, a transformational coach, and the award-winning author of The Magical Guide to Bliss: Daily Keys to Unlock Your Dreams, Spirit & Inner Bliss and Sparkle & Shine: 108 M.A.N.T.R.A.s to Brighten Your Day and Lighten Your Way.After she was brought on stage in Miami with Oprah Winfrey in 2014, she was inspired to manifest the life of her dreams and founded Butterflies & Bliss LLC and S.H.I.N.E. Networking Inc., a nonprofit that provides educational scholarships to young innovative leaders in her community. She holds a BA in Spanish from Boston College, an MA in International Affairs from the University of Miami, a JD from St. Thomas University School of Law, and a Happiness Certificate with the Happiness Studies Academy. She is also a Certified Federal Law Enforcement Instructor/Mentor and a Love Button Global Movement Ambassador. In addition to being named Miz CEO Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019, Nocero appeared on CNN Español with Ismael Cala and hosts her own You Tube channel and a podcast called Manifesting with Meg: Conversations with Extraordinary People. She lives in Miami, Fl. Visit https://megnocero.com/ to learn more about Meg Nocero.
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)
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
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