The 2021 Florida Book Awards competition is open for submissions.
Coordinated by the Florida State University Libraries, the Florida Book Awards is the nation’s most comprehensive state book awards program. It was established in 2006 to celebrate the best Florida literature. Authors must be full-time Florida residents, except in the Florida Nonfiction, Visual Arts, and Cooking categories, where the subject matter must focus on Florida.
Books may be submitted by authors, publishers, or members of the public in any of eleven categories: Cooking, Florida Nonfiction, General Fiction, General Nonfiction, Older Children’s Literature, Poetry, Popular Fiction, Spanish Language, Visual Arts, Young Adult Literature, and Younger Children’s Literature. Descriptions of these categories and instructions for submitting nominations are on this website. All books nominated must have a 2021 copyright date and an ISBN number.
Entries must be received no later than January 13, 2022, but applicants are encouraged to submit their books into competition early during the submission period, and as soon as possible after their books are officially published. Winners will be announced the first week in March 2022.
In addition to the 2021 book competition, a new award, The Gerald Ensley Developing Writer Award, has been established in honor of the late journalist Gerald Ensley. The award defines “Developing” as a writer who has shown exceptional talent and the potential for continued literary success and significance in the future. The award is accompanied by a $500 prize. Nominations are due by December 31, 2021. Instructions for nominating a writer are listed on the Ensley Award information page.
