The Texas Institute of Letters contests are now open for works published in 2020. Writers are encouraged to submit to the twelve different categories. More than $23,000 in prizes will be awarded. The deadline for submissions is January 4, 2021. 

The twelve categories include:

• Jesse H. Jones Award for Best Book of Fiction
• Sergio Troncoso Award for Best First Book of Fiction
• Carr P. Collins Award for Best Book of Nonfiction
• Ramirez Family Award for Most Significant Scholarly Book
• Helen C. Smith Award for Best Book of Poetry
• John A. Robertson Award for Best First Book of Poetry
• Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best Picture Book
• Jean Flynn Award for Best Middle-Grade Book
• Texas Institute of Letters Award Best Young Adult Book
• Fred Whitehead Award for Best Design of a Trade Book
• Kay Cattarulla Award for Best Short Story
• Edwin "Bud" Shrake Award for Best Short Nonfiction.

Eligibility for the awards requires that the author be born in Texas or has lived in Texas for at least five consecutive years at some time. A work with subject matter that substantially concerns Texas is also eligible. Fill out the entry form, submit payment, and send your work to the judges by following the instructions in the downloadable PDF:

https://texasinstituteofletters.org/awards/2020-contest-details.pdf