A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: The Relationship between Book Awards and Book Sales
Authors often ask: Do awards really matter for my book’s success? The answer is yes — but not all awards carry the same weight. For nonfiction, it’s helpful to think of awards in three categories: major, minor (competitive), and less-competitive. Each plays a different role in ROI (return on investment), both financially and in terms of credibility. 📚 Major Awards (Transformative ROI) These are the prizes that can catapult a nonfiction book into bestseller status and secure long-term influence. They attract mainstream media coverage, bookstore promotion, and institutional adoption. Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, History) National Book Award (Nonfiction) National Book Critics Circle Award (Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir) PEN America Literary Awards (Nonfiction categories) Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (Nonfiction) Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Nonfiction categories) 👉 ROI impact : Immediate financial spike, sustained visibility, and enduring cultural influen...