What is the general eligibility criteria for the 2023 Thriller Awards?

To be considered eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards, the work must be a novel, short story, or audiobook that was published in English, for the first time, anywhere in the world, in the calendar year of 2022. The author must either be an Active ITW member or the publisher must be an ITW-recognized publisher. AI (artificial intelligence)-generated material is not eligible for entry.

What is the deadline for submissions?

The deadline to submit a novel, short story, or audiobook to the 2023 Thriller Awards is December 31, 2022.

Are there any exceptions to the submissions deadline?

Absent good cause, there are no exceptions to the deadline. If you have a unique situation, please contact the Awards VP at awardsvp@thrillerwriters.org.

Is a work eligible if the author is not a member of ITW?

In order for a novel, short story, or audiobook to be eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards, the author must be an Active ITW member. If they are not an Active member, they may apply for membership. If the author does not qualify for Active status, then the publisher must be an ITW-recognized publisher.

Is the work eligible if the publisher is not ITW-recognized?

If the publisher of the novel, short story, or audiobook is not on the ITW-recognized publisher list, they may seek ITW recognition here. If the publisher does not qualify for recognized status, then the author must be an ITW Active member.

What if the publisher is not on the list, but is an imprint of an ITW-recognized publisher?

ITW requires both the parent and imprint companies to be recognized. There is a streamlined process for imprints to apply for recognition available here.

Are self-published works eligible?

Self-published novels, short stories, and audiobooks are eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards provided the author is an ITW Active member.

What is the eligibility period for the 2023 Thriller Awards?

To be eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards, all novels, short stories, and audiobooks must have been first published, in the English language, between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Is the work eligible if it was originally self-published before the eligibility period, and later released by an ITW-recognized publisher during the eligibility period?

No. If the novel, short story, or audiobook was previously published in any form, in English, before January 1, 2022, the work is ineligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards.

Is the work eligible if it was released in English outside North America before the eligibility period?

No. The publication date of the work’s first English language release determines whether the work is eligible. If the novel, short story, or audiobook being submitted was first published in English anywhere in the world before January 1, 2022, the work is ineligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards.

Is the work eligible if it was first published in a language other than English before the eligibility period?

Yes. If the novel, short story, or audiobook was published for the first time in the English language between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, it is eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.

Is a short story eligible if it’s longer than 35,000 words, but still not long enough to be considered a novel?

No. A short story longer than 35,000 words is ineligible for Best Short Story. At this time, ITW does not have a category for novellas. If you feel an exception should be made, please contact the Awards VP at awardsvp@thrillerwriters.org.

Are short stories eligible if they were part of an anthology?

Yes. Short stories that were part of a larger anthology are eligible, as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Can authors submit their own work to the 2023 Thriller Awards?

Yes. In most cases, publishers will submit eligible work on behalf their authors, but authors are also welcome to submit their own work. To avoid duplicate submissions, ITW advises authors to confirm with their publishers that their work has not yet been submitted, and then notify the publisher once their submission is complete.

Can an author submit more than one eligible work for the 2023 Thriller Awards?

Yes. If an author has published more than one eligible work (for instance, a short story and a novel), both works may be submitted. ITW will accept up to three eligible works per author.

Can a novel be submitted to more than one category?

For the 2023 Thriller Awards, novels may only be submitted to one category, with the exception of audiobooks. Novels that are released in audiobook as well as print book and/or e-book may also be submitted to Best Audiobook, provided both submissions meet all eligibility requirements.

If an eligible novel is published in multiple formats, to which category should it be submitted?

For the 2023 Thriller Awards, the Best Audiobook category is the only awards category which accepts works also submitted to one other category, provided the both submissions meet all the eligibility requirements. Otherwise, the guidelines are as follows:

• For novels released in hardcover and e-book, the novel must be submitted to Best Hardcover.
• For novels released in paperback and e-book, the novel must be submitted to Best Paperback Original.
• For novels released principally in e-book with only incidental print copies available (such as print-on-demand), and that are not distributed in brick-and-mortar stores, the novel must be submitted to Best E-Book Original.
• Entries in the Best First Novel category must be an author’s first novel under any name. Pen name debuts must be entered in either Best Hardcover, E-Book Original, or Paperback Original, accordingly (see above).

Can novels that were published in both hardcover and paperback be submitted to the Best Paperback Original category?

In some countries, publishers do not release books in hardcover at all. If an eligible work is first published in hardcover in the U.S., but in paperback in a different country, the novel should be submitted to the Best Hardcover category. However, an exception may be made if the hardcover print run is limited (for instance, if the publisher printed hardcovers for libraries only). If you feel an exception should be made, please contact the Awards VP at awardsvp@thrillerwriters.org.

Which category is appropriate if a novel is both a first novel and a young adult novel?

All eligible young adult novels, including first novels, should be submitted to the Best Young Adult category.

Is an audiobook eligible if the print book and/or e-book was first released in a previous year?

Possibly. An audiobook is eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards even if the print book and/or e-book was released in a previous year, provided the audiobook meets all the eligibility requirements. However, if an earlier version of that book was submitted to the Thriller Awards in any format in a previous year, then the audiobook version is not eligible.

If the audiobook is scheduled to be released during the eligibility period, but after the December 31, 2022 submission deadline, how should I submit it?

Please complete the submission form in its entirety, but do not include the Audible URL. We will capture the update when the work is released.  Please note that we will not accept any new submissions after December 31, 2022, so don’t wait until the publication date to submit the title.

Are print books and/or e-books still eligible if the audiobook version was released in a previous year?

Yes. Print books and e-books are eligible for the 2023 Thriller Awards even if the audiobook version was released in a previous year, provided the print books and e-books meet all the eligibility requirements.

Is a novel eligible for Best E-Book Original if it was previously released in other formats?

No. To be eligible for Best E-Book Original, an e-book cannot have been published in any other format prior to the e-book release.

Is a novel eligible for Best First Novel if the author previously self-published a novel?

A. No. Any author who has previously published a novel in any format is ineligible for the Best First Novel category. However, the work may be eligible for another category.

Where do I submit a novel, short story, or audiobook to the 2023 Thriller Awards?

ITW only accepts submissions electronically. You may complete the 2023 Thriller Awards submission form here. Please be sure to read through the submission guidelines carefully. Missing, incomplete, or incorrect information may disqualify the submission.

May I mail print books or CDs of my eligible work directly to the 2023 Thriller Awards?

No. ITW cannot accept hard copy submissions in any format. Please use the submission form here.

How should a novel or short story be submitted?

ITW prefers that eligible novels and short stories be submitted in PDF format. If this is not possible, you may submit via NetGalley open widget link. No other formats, including print copies, are accepted. If your submission form includes a NetGalley link, please ensure that the archive date for the work is set to February 15, 2023. If the NetGalley link is archived (expired) before this date, the submission may be disqualified.

What if the author or publisher has a NetGalley account, but is unable to set the book’s archive date to February 15, 2023?

If the NetGalley archive date for the work cannot be set to February 15, 2023, then the work must be submitted in PDF format. An expired (archived) NetGalley link may disqualify the submission.

What if I’m experiencing technical issues making the work available through NetGalley?

The submission form provides instructions for submitting via NetGalley. If you require further technical assistance, please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org.

What if the PDF will not upload to the submission form?

Occasionally a PDF size exceeds the capacity of our system. Please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org for assistance.

How should audiobooks be submitted?

As audiobook files are extremely large, eligible audiobooks must be submitted with a link to the book on Audible.com only. If the book has not been made available on Audible, please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org for assistance.

If a link to an audiobook sample cannot be provided, can I send the digital file or physical CDs to ITW instead?

No. With the amount of submissions ITW receives each year, it is not possible to submit audiobook files, which are extremely large, through our submission form. Please do not email digital audiobook files to ITW unless you’ve been specifically asked to do so by the Awards Coordinator. ITW does not accept physical copies of any works, in any category.

What if the submission form isn’t working?

Often, changing browsers will resolve the problem, but please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org if that does not resolve the issue.

What if I didn’t receive a confirmation email that my submission was received?

Be sure to check your spam folder. If the system is overloaded – as it tends to be closer to the submission deadline – it may take up to 24 hours to receive a confirmation email that your submission has been received. To avoid duplicate submissions, please do not send your submission again. After 24 hours, if you have still not received confirmation, please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org to verify that your submission was received.

What if I’m an author and my publisher is unable to confirm whether they’ve already submitted my work?

Please contact the Awards Coordinator at toddgerber@thrillerwriters.org to verify that your work has been received.

When will the finalists be announced?

ITW will announce the finalists for the 2023 Thriller Awards in February 2023.

When will the winners be announced?

ITW will announce the winners of the 2023 Thriller Awards during the Awards banquet, at ThrillerFest in New York City, on Saturday, June 3, 2023.

What if I have still have questions?

For any questions not addressed in the FAQs, please contact the Awards VP at awardsvp@thrillerwriters.org.