1) To be eligible to enter this Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) literary contest, either the writer must have lived in Texas for at least five consecutive years at some point, or the work's subject matter must substantially concern Texas. Cowritten works are also eligible if at least 50% of the credited authors have lived in Texas for at least five consecutive years at some point.
2) To be eligible, a work must have been published in print in 2026 by a traditional publisher based in North America; posthumous publications are eligible. Self-published, author-funded, or digital-only works are not eligible.
3) To be eligible, a work must have been the writer's first traditionally published book of nonfiction. A writer who has received royalties and/or copyright under another name for a traditionally published book of nonfiction is not eligible.
4) To be considered, an entry must be the first published version of the work.
5) Only one work per writer (including cowrites) may be submitted for this award. An individual work may be entered in only one writing category of the TIL literary contests. A book submitted for this award may also be submitted, if eligible, for the Fred Whitehead Award for Best Design of a Trade Book.
6) A copy of the submitted first book of nonfiction must be provided to each of the three judges for this category: Bryan Burrough, Sarah Hepola, and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton.
7) Each judge's mailing address and preference for receiving physical or digital versions of the work will be provided upon the submission of this form and receipt of $25 entry fee. When sending physical copies of the work, please include a brief note with the name of the TIL award category.
8) Physical submissions must be postmarked no later than January 8, 2027.
9) Contest entrants and their representatives should neither establish contact with contest judges beyond the submission of their work nor discuss the contest with any judge until the winners are announced in March 2027.
10) For more information about the TIL Literary Awards, including previous winners in more than a dozen categories, please visit www.texasinstituteofletters.org. For questions about this award that are not answered in the guidelines above, please contact info@texasinstituteofletters.org.
Required information in the form below is indicated with a red asterisk (*).