General criteria
for eligible Nautilus Entries
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Published book (Self-Published, Hybrid, and Small and Large presses--see below for definitions), in English, with an ISBN
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Publication date and/or Copyright during 2020, 2021, 2022 & and 2023 shown on or near the Title page of the book (we've extended publication for this season to books published in 2020 due to the pandemic).
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High-quality writing.
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Your book articulates a message related to the category selected.
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Published version of your book title only. "Advance Reader or Sample Copies" are not accepted even in a PDF.
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Expresses one or more of the four Nautilus values.
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Book is not a prior entry to the Nautilus program (contact us if special accommodation is needed).
** Please note individual feedback regarding your submission is not possible at this time.
Nautilus Values
for eligible Nautilus Entries
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Conscious and restorative earth practices
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Wellness/love/beauty
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Spiritual growth
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Social change and Social justice
These aspects of the Nautilus Mission are an integral part of the assessment that each Reviewer Team uses in recommending the Finalists in their category and that the Final Review Team then references to select extraordinary books as Award Winners in each category. A book does not need to express all four qualities of the Mission in order to be selected as an Award Winner. However, books that are infused with two or more of the qualities will generally earn a higher rating.
Our Reviewers are dedicated to their task of recognizing books that radiate the wisdom of care, hope, collaboration, and creativity. Our books generally bring more love into the world. We appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the authors who share these values with their readers!
To see an overview of books from past years that have been recognized with a Nautilus Award, go to the Nautilus Winners webpages and Winners Archive.
DURING EACH SEASON, WE ACCEPT ENTRIES IN 35+ GENRE CATEGORIES.
We accept entries in 35 subject categories (a few with A and B segments and Special Focused Topics see Categories webpage, and 8 of those categories are for Children, Mid-Grade Teens, and Young Adults.
We accept Entries from Self-publishers, Small Presses (2- 10 Titles annually and from multiple authors), Hybrid-publishers, and traditional Larger publishers (more than ten books annually) in the English language.
Each year the Nautilus Book Awards presents honorary awards that we acknowledge and recognize in a variety of categories depending on the books submitted in the season.
Please note: A book cannot be entered for these Special Honors. All qualified, paid submissions become candidates for the "Best of and/or Special Focused Topics..." awards.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRY
for eligible Nautilus Entries
We have an online Submission Process whereby each Entrant completes their registration with our online form and submits payment via credit card. During submission, you will be asked to upload a digital copy of your book (with front/ back cover or dust jacket image/s).
**Please note that a physical copy is needed in addition to a PDF for categories: 09, 21, 30 A&B; and 31 A&B.
Our entry fee is $95 for Early Entry (September 1st - November 30th) and $130 for Regular Entry (December 1st- February 1st -season closing date). There is a $50 fee for each additional category (up to 4 total category entries). Please note that all payments are made with Credit/Debit Cards via PayPal.
There are 4 Simple steps that the online process will guide you through:
1. Your Book Details 3. Upload your PDFs
2. Send Your Books 4. Entry Fee and Payment
Accepting eBooks and using an online submission format has allowed us to reduce the price again this coming 2024 Season (Sep 1, 2023- Feb 1, 2024). We're hopeful this choice will be helpful to Entrants, reviewers, postal carriers, trees, and Nautilus Staff alike.
We thank you for considering the Nautilus Book Awards for your treasured books!
Please click the link below to enter our 2024 Season.
How Winners Are Selected
As the Nautilus Book Awards launches its newest season, the program offers authors and publishers an opportunity for success for their books as they are reviewed, evaluated, and acknowledged in a different way than they were when they were newly released into the marketplace.
The Nautilus Awards has a three-tier system judging process that offers a course of examination and scrutiny designed to sort and distinguish books as they are assessed against a prepared list of notable characteristics. This process is detailed and labor-intensive. It is carried out by three teams of qualified and experienced reviewers. Their experiences in careers as editors, writers, librarians, schoolteachers, parents, psychologists, health professionals, poets, and bookstore owners are matched with a passion for books that offer new ideas and options for a better world for everyone. We honor these special people for their dedication and commitment to the Nautilus Awards program.
Each book is evaluated by at least two reviewers at each phase of our review process. Silver Winners are nominated from each category by the readers of Team #2, and these titles are then passed along to the Final Review team where the Silver, Gold, and Grand Winners are chosen. For many reasons (after 24 years) we have decided to accept digital/eBook copies (PDF preferred) of printed books this year. For specific categories (09 - Gift & Specialty; 21- Photography & Arts; 30A/B Childrens Picture Non & Fiction 2-6yrs; and 31A/B- Childrens Illustrated Non & Fiction 6-9yrs) we also request one (1) printed copy be mailed to our US office, in addition to the digital copy.
This is a multifaceted process that is carefully monitored. Each reviewer uses our prepared Evaluation Form for assessing each book, assigning individual scores to a long list of parameters that will produce the rating for each book, as well as qualitative comments. Two reviewers must agree on each Silver nominee. Consensus is also required at the Final Review team (third level) for selecting the Silver, Gold, and Grand Award Winners.
In most instances, this process creates several Silver and one Gold winner in every category. However, because our reviewers work from a rating system that requires a certain score to achieve the status of a Nautilus Silver or Gold winner, in some years we do not have a Gold Winner in a category, or at times only one or two Silver Winners. This same system of rating also allows the Final Review team, at their discretion in special cases, to award two books with equal ratings for a Gold Award. For books with unusually exceptional high ratings, a Grand Winner may be selected from the areas of Adult – Children/Mid-Grade/Young Adult – plus "Best of..." awards for Self Published, and Small Press. In addition to the Nautilus Seal for Grand Prize-Winning book, the Grand Winner is awarded a cash prize.
Each of our reviewers and judges has been through our in-depth training program that addresses all phases of reviewing and evaluating Nautilus books. Each reviewer has been carefully interviewed, is required to attend our annual Reader's Workshop (or tutorial session online), and is paid an honorarium stipend for their participation in the assessment process.
We have developed our review process over the past twenty-three years, and continue to expand and improve our parameters and our system of evaluation. It is our purpose and intent to seek, review, identify, and celebrate books that we feel best support the co-creation of a Better World. Our goal is to offer life-affirming options with imagination and possibility to a world that longs for a new story.
We appreciate the opportunity to honor and celebrate literary and heartfelt contributions to spiritual growth, green values, wellness, responsible leadership, social change and social justice, art, creativity, and inspiration.
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rev: Jan. 2024