Fond Books

Prize calendar

When Book Prizes Are Announced

17 prizes across 8 months of the year

The literary year has a shape. It opens in January with the T.S. Eliot Prize and the American library medals, runs through the Pulitzers in May, and closes in November when the Booker, the Baillie Gifford and the National Book Awards land within weeks of each other. Here is the whole calendar, 17 prizes in order.

The shape of the year

A spine for each prize in the month its winner is named.

  1. Jan 3 prizes
  2. Feb lists only
  3. Mar 1 prize
  4. Apr 2 prizes
  5. May 1 prize
  6. Jun 3 prizes
  7. Jul lists only
  8. Aug 1 prize
  9. Sep lists only
  10. Oct 3 prizes
  11. Nov 3 prizes
  12. Dec lists only

January

  • T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry

    The winner is announced in January, for collections published the previous year, after a shortlist in October.

    The T. S. Eliot Foundation, with the Poetry Book Society. United Kingdom and Ireland. £25,000.

  • Newbery Medal

    Announced in January with the rest of the association's youth media awards.

    American Library Association. United States. A medal rather than money.

  • Caldecott Medal

    Announced in January with the rest of the association's youth media awards.

    American Library Association. United States. A medal rather than money.

March

  • National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction

    The board's committees vote on the finalists in January and the full board chooses the winners on the day of the awards ceremony in March.

    National Book Critics Circle. United States.

April

  • PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

    The winner is announced in April, after a longlist of ten in February and five finalists in March,

    PEN/Faulkner Foundation. United States. $15,000, and $5,000 to each of the other four finalists.

  • Edgar Award for Best Novel

    Announced at the Edgar Awards banquet in the spring, usually late April or May, after nominations in January.

    Mystery Writers of America. United States. A ceramic bust of Edgar Allan Poe.

May

  • The Pulitzer Prizes

    Winners and finalists in every category are announced together in early May.

    Columbia University. United States. $15,000.

June

  • Women's Prize for Fiction

    The winner is announced in June, after a longlist in March and a shortlist in April.

    Women's Prize Trust. United Kingdom. £30,000.

  • Nebula Award for Best Novel

    Announced at the Nebula Conference, usually in June, for work published in the previous calendar year.

    Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. United States. A trophy rather than money.

  • Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel

    Announced at StokerCon, usually in June, for work published in the previous year.

    Horror Writers Association. United States. A trophy shaped like a haunted house.

August

  • Hugo Award for Best Novel

    Announced at Worldcon, the World Science Fiction Convention, usually in August. The date and city move each year.

    World Science Fiction Society. International. A trophy rather than money.

October

  • Nobel Prize in Literature

    Announced on a Thursday in early October, during Nobel week.

    The Swedish Academy. Sweden. 11 million Swedish kronor.

  • Royal Society Science Book Prize

    The winner is announced in the autumn, usually October, after a shortlist in the summer.

    The Royal Society. United Kingdom. £25,000.

  • World Fantasy Award for Best Novel

    Presented at the World Fantasy Convention's awards banquet, usually on one of the two weekends either side of Halloween, for work published in the previous year.

    World Fantasy Convention. International.

November

  • The Booker Prize

    The winner is announced in November, following a longlist in late July and a shortlist in September.

    The Booker Prize Foundation. United Kingdom and Ireland. £50,000.

  • Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction

    The winner is announced in November, after a longlist in September and a shortlist in October.

    The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction Limited. United Kingdom. £50,000.

  • The National Book Awards

    Winners are announced at a ceremony in November, after a longlist in September and finalists in October.

    National Book Foundation. United States. $10,000.

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About these dates

Checked August 2026. Every date here is given by month rather than by day, because the exact day moves each year and a calendar that names a stale date is worse than one that does not. Confirm on the prize's own site before relying on a date.

Months with nothing listed are quiet ones for the prizes Fond Books covers. February, March, July, September and December carry longlists and shortlists rather than winners.