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.
~~~

rev: Jan. 2024