Eligible books may be submitted by the author, publisher, literary agent, or an authorized representative. The author must meet the Dominican heritage eligibility requirement.

Award recipients receive official Julia Alvarez Book Award recognition, an award certificate, and the authorized digital award seal corresponding to their distinction.Recipients will also receive recognition through DWA's website, newsletter, social media, award publicity, and related programming and may be invited to participate in DWA readings, author conversations, book clubs, and other literary events.

Yes. Selected books may first be named Julia Alvarez Book Award Finalists. Judges may then recognize a Julia Alvarez Book Award Winner as the highest distinction in a category and may additionally award Silver and Bronze Medals. Not every category is guaranteed to receive every distinction.

Eligible categories are Fiction, Poetry, Memoir, Creative Nonfiction, Children's Literature, Middle Grade, Young Adult Literature, and Graphic Literature.Scholarly, academic, and other nonfiction works that do not qualify as creative nonfiction are not eligible.

For the inaugural 2026 award cycle, books must have been originally published between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025.

Yes. Traditionally published, independently published, hybrid-published, and self-published books may be considered, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Books written in English, Spanish, or Spanglish are eligible.

Yes. A title may be submitted in up to two eligible award categories when the work genuinely fits both categories. Each category is considered a separate entry and requires a $50 submission fee.

All submissions must be received by November 15, 2026.

Books written, illustrated or otherwise generated by artificial intelligence are not eligible for the Julia Alvarez Book Award. AI may be used for limited administrative or editorial support, but creative work submitted for consideration must be work of the author and/or human collaborators.

The submission fee is $50 per title, per category entered. For example, a book entered in one category requires a $50 fee; the same book entered in two categories requires a total fee of $100. Submission fees are non-refundable.

All submissions must include access to a complete digital copy of the book. We are unable to accept physical copies.If you do not have a PDF or EPUB file, you may provide a secure digital review-copy link through a service such as BookFunnel or StoryOrigin, or another private link provided by your publisher or distributor.The link must:Provide access to the complete bookNot require judges to purchase the bookRemain active and accessible throughout the judging periodNot require DWA to request individual access on behalf of each judgeIt is the submitter’s responsibility to ensure that the digital file or access link remains functional throughout the judging process.