SUBMISSIONS 2020
Submissions for the 2020 An Post Irish Book Awards are open
Eligibility and category information
Along with every other arts project affected by the Covid 19 public health crisis, the awards trustees will continue to review all the planned activities in the coming months. The team will be sure to keep everyone updated with news on this website. The current schedule of dates are as follows:
2020 dates:
Submissions close – 31st August
Shortlist launch – 22nd October – likely to be a virtual event
An Post Irish Book Awards 2020 –Mid-End November – The team are discussing a range of options and possible outcomes with sponsors, key stakeholders and the official media partner: RTÉ.
Submitted titles will be considered by both, a book-industry panel and a second body of critics and reviewers who will assess these in mid-September. Feedback is then combined to select the shortlists.
Eligibility guidelines for individual awards:
Titles submitted forthe Novel of The Year must be works of literary fiction.
The Nonfiction Book of the Year will broadly cover narrative works of business, current affairs, politics, biography and history.
The Popular Nonfiction Book of the Year will broadly cover subjects such as celebrity memoirs, lifestyle, humour, travel and culture. (In the case of ghost-written titles, publishers must credit author AND ghost-writer in their submissions; all An Post Irish Book Awards materials will conform to this rule.)
Titles submitted for the Popular Fiction Book of the Year must be works of popular fiction.
Titles submitted for the Best Irish-published Book of the Year must emanate from an Irish-based publishing house. The award aims to reward the overall excellence of a title’s publication from intrinsic merit, to the aesthetic merits of the book itself, the publicity campaign, the impact on the market etc.
When submitting titles for the Children’s Book of the Year categories, publishers should direct submissions to the appropriate category:
- Junior category is for books aimed at the under-8 age group.
- Senior category is for books aimed at the 8-12 age group.
- Teen/Young Adult category is for books aimed at the 12 + age group.
Publishers must credit author AND illustrator in their submissions whenever appropriate; all An Post Irish Book Awards materials will conform to this rule.
Titles submitted for the Crime Fiction Award should be novels which must fit comfortably within the generic constraints of “crime fiction”.
Titles submitted for the Newcomer of the Year must be the publishing debut of the author (excluding previous anthologised pieces, articles etc). Titles submitted in this category may also be submitted in other categories.
Titles submitted for the Sports Book of the Year must be written by an Irish author (ie born on the island of Ireland or Irish by citizenship or long-term residence.) In the case of ghost-written titles, publishers must credit author AND ghost-writer in their submissions; all An Post Irish Book Awards materials will conform to this rule.
Titles submitted for the Cookbook of the Year must either feature Irish cooking OR be written by an Irish author (ie born on the island of Ireland or Irish by citizenship or long-term residence.)
Submissions for the writing.ie Short Story of the Year Award are administered by writing.ie – click here for more information
Submissions for the Listowel Writers Week Irish Poem of the Year are administered by Listowel Writers Week – click here for more information
Submissions for the Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year are administered by Love Leabhar Gaeilge – click here for more information
To enter click here: https://www.irishbookawards.irish/submissions-2020/
