Nomination FAQS
1. Judged Categories – including all the genre categories
Q: Who can nominate a book?
A: Anyone can nominate a book, including publishers, authors, and readers.
Q: When is the nomination deadline?
A: We have instituted a tiered deadline based on the publication date of the book. These deadlines are for Genre, Ann Bannon, and Audiobook Narrator categories. The deadlines for this year are:
Q: Someone nominated my book. What do I do next?
A: Congratulations! Please check that the title and author name are correct. Otherwise, check the GCLS website when finalists are posted and when the winners are announced at the Awards Ceremony.
Q: My book was published in December 2022 but wasn't nominated last year. Can I enter it this year?
A: Unfortunately, no, only books first published during 2023 are eligible.
Q: My book was originally published many years ago by another publisher; I have made changes to 50% of the book. Can I enter it this year?
A: No, re-releases or reprints of a previously published book are not eligible.
Q: My book was originally published by Publisher A, and now it is published by Publisher B. Is it eligible?
A: The edition published by Publisher A, provided it meets all the other criteria, including publication date, is eligible.
Q: Are self-published books eligible?
A: Yes, we welcome nominations of self-published books.
Q: My book is only published as an ebook. Is it eligible?
A: Yes, provided it meets all the other criteria, including publication date and award category guidelines.
Q: There is more than one author. Are we all eligible?
A: The book itself is the nominated entity. All the authors (listed on the cover page) are eligible for an award if it wins. In the anthology/collection categories, the award is given to the editor(s).
Q: My book has a character who is a woman who loves women, but it's not about her sexuality. Is it eligible?
A: Entries must include significant themes, characters, situations, or other content about women or sapphically aligned nonbinary people who are romantically and/or sexually attracted to women or sapphically aligned nonbinary people.
Q: Do you accept novellas?
A: In the novel, anthologies, and collections categories, the minimum word count is 40,000 words. Poetry books should be at least 48 pages long. If the novella is part of an anthology, the anthology is eligible. However, individual works with fewer than 40,000 words are not eligible.
2. Debut Novel specific
Q: How does the Debut Novel nomination work?
A: Debut Novel is no longer a judged category. You must nominate your book in one of the fiction novel categories, then indicate that you would like the book to be also entered into consideration for Debut Novel. The scores across all eligible debut novels will be tallied and the finalists/winners identified.
Q: I am a new author who co-wrote a book with another author who Is already published. Am I eligible for the Debut Novel award?
A: Since the novel is the nominated entity, ALL co-writers must be first-time authors to be eligible in the Debut Novel category.
Q: I had a short story of 10,000 words published in an anthology, but my first novel was published this year. Am I eligible for the Debut Novel award?
A: Yes, the novel is eligible for Debut Novel.
Q: I have a previously published non-fiction book. Does my novel qualify for the Debut Category?
A: Yes, your first fictional novel qualifies as a Debut Novel.
Q: I am publishing my first novel under a new pen name. Does my novel qualify for the Debut category?
A: No. An author's first novel is their debut regardless of the pen name they publish under.
3. Popular Choice and Other Awards
Q: What are the Popular Choice awards?
A: There are two: Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award and Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Cover Design.
Q: What are the other Awards?
A: There are three: GCLS Trailblazer Award, Lee Lynch Classic Award, and the GCLS Directors’ Award.
Q: Who can nominate for these awards?
A: Anyone can nominate for these awards.
Q: When is the nomination deadline?
A: All nominations for Tee Corinne and other awards must be received by December 31, 2021.
Q: What do I have to send for the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award?
A: You do not have to include a book/ebook. Please include a high-resolution .jpg/.jpeg image of the cover.
Q: What do I have to send for the Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Cover Design?
A: Please include a high-resolution jpg image of the front cover, back cover, and spine.
Q: How are finalists and winners determined for the Ann Bannon and Tee Corinne Awards?
A: Finalists for the Tee Corinne award are determined by a round of public voting. Voters will use ranked-choice voting to choose their top five (5) cover designs. The top eight (8) cover designs will be the finalists as determined by the voting results.
Finalists for the Ann Bannon award are determined using the same process as Debut Novel. You must nominate your book in one of the fiction novel categories, then indicate that you would like the book to be also entered into consideration for Ann Bannon. The judges in the fiction novel categories will evaluate the books. The scores across all eligible Ann Bannon nominations will be tallied and the finalists identified. Those novels scoring in the top twenty-five percent (25%) - up to a maximum of 25 - will be shortlisted as finalists.
Finalists for both the Tee Corinne and Ann Bannon awards will go through a round of public voting. Voters will use ranked-choice voting to choose their top five (5) cover designs and/or novels from the lists of finalists. Winners will be determined based on the results of the voting round.
4. Nominations Process
Q: How do I submit nominations?
A: Nominations are done via our online system.
Q: Can I have more than one book nominated?
A: Yes, provided they meet all the other criteria, including publication date and award category guidelines.
Q: Can I have more than one book nominated in one category?
A: Yes, provided they meet all the other criteria, including publication date and award category guidelines.
Q: Can I nominate my book in more than one category?
A: A book may only be nominated in one genre category. A book may also be nominated in a genre category plus the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award and the Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Art.
Q: I'm not sure which category to place a nominated book in.
A: Please refer to the award category descriptions and judging guidelines. If you have further questions, please contact the Awards Administrators at awards@goldencrown.org.
Q: Why have you put my book in this category?
A: The person nominating a book is responsible for selecting an appropriate category. If you feel that it is in the wrong category, please contact the Awards Administrators at awards@goldencrown.org.
Q: I made a mistake in my nomination form.
A: During the nominations window, you can go back and make changes to the form. If you have further questions, please contact the Awards Administrators at awards@goldencrown.org.
Q: My book is a collection of short stories. They go in anthology/collections, right?
A: If you are the only author, the book should be nominated as a collection. If there are multiple authors, the book should be nominated as an anthology.
Q: How much is a nomination?
A: The cost of each nomination in a judged category is $50.00 per physical book and $35.00 per eBook. The cost to nominate in the Ann Bannon and Tee Corinne categories is $20 per entry. The cost to add a Debut Novel is $20.00.
Q: How do I pay?
A: You can make payment using PayPal Express, Credit Card, or by sending a Check/Money Order/Cashier's Check.
If your payment is more than $100, we request you send payment via Check/Money Order/Cashier's Check. If you need to arrange another method of payment, please contact the Awards Administrators at awards@goldencrown.org.
Q: Why Check/Money Order/Cashier's Check?
A: This saves the GCLS a significant amount on fees from PayPal and our credit card processor.
Q: Do I have to pay per book?
A: If you are nominating multiple books or one book in more than one category, the system will calculate nomination fees and provide you with an invoice for the total amount.
Q: What if more than one person nominates a book?
A: In the situation where more than one entity nominates the same book, the administrative fee will not be returned or prorated but will be retained by the GCLS and allocated toward defraying administrative costs.
Q: Do I have to send both eBooks and physical books?
A: You don't have to submit both. Please provide EITHER eBooks OR physical books.
Q: I can submit eBooks?
A: Yes, we highly recommend submitting eBooks.
Q: Why?
A: It saves the nominator fees ($35 vs. $50) and the cost of shipping books to the Awards Administrators. In addition, the GCLS saves on shipping costs to send books to judges, some of whom are based outside the US.
Q: Which eBook formats are required?
A: We require eBooks in three formats: .epub, .mobi/.prc, .pdf. This will cover all the eReading devices used by judges.
Q: What are the other eBook requirements?
A: The eBook files must be DRM-free so the judges can upload them to their eReaders. This should be a clean, final product, as sold to customers - formatting and layout are judging criteria.
Q: I don't know how to convert ebooks. Can I send one format, and you convert it for me?
A: Unfortunately, the GCLS and Awards Administrators cannot be involved in any part of a book's production process due to potential conflict of interest. There are software and individuals/companies that can convert eBooks. Please feel free to reach out to others who have published eBooks for help and advice.
Q: Can I still send physical books?
A: If you are nominating a physical book the Award Administrators will handle obtaining and sending books to assigned judges. However, you must include a PDF with you submission.
Q: What else do I need to include when nominating a book?
A: Please also upload the cover image. This will be used at the Awards Ceremony if your book is a finalist.
Q: Why are you asking for a link to buy the book?
A: We received feedback that this will be useful in terms of promoting authors' books. Please provide any link where you want members to buy your book.
Q: Why am I getting all these emails about books being nominated?
A: The confirmation email goes to the nominator, author, and publisher. In the past, some authors and/or publishers weren't aware that a book had been nominated, so we want to make sure everyone involved knows about it.
Q: I completed the nomination form. Why isn't my book showing on the GCLS website?
A: The GCLS website is updated manually by volunteers once a week. It takes a bit of time before your nominated book is included. Please be patient.
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