W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction / How to Apply ($5,000 + More)

W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction is now accepting stories. Apply for this contest!

Dear writers, the W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction is organized by the American Library Association (ALA). This association is the oldest and largest library association in the world. It was founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ALA is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”

This award honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Donated by William Young Boyd II.

Eligibility for W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction

Novel must have been published during the year prior to the award.
Incidents of war can constitute the main plot of the story or merely provide the setting.
Young adult and adult novels only.
Entry to this award is free.

Submission Guidelines

Complete the online application and send seven (7) copies of the book to
ALA Awards Program, Governance Office, 225 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601

Selection Criteria are as follows:

The writing must be really good; proper narrative arc should be used, there should be a theme of war, the writing must be clear and concise.
The writer should pay attention to detail.
Accuracy is a key attribute that would also be looked out for. How accurate the story is with the details of war.
Ability to hold the reader’s attention. The story must arrest the attention of the reader.