Morris Award Nomination Form

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award Committee will consider and vote on books published by first-time authors writing for young adults in the year preceding its announcement (January 1 to December 31). Publishers, authors, or editors may not nominate their own titles. Both field and Committee nominations will be accepted for books that meet the published criteria. Field nominations must be seconded by a committee member. A shortlist of up to five finalists will be named the second Monday in December.

Nominations may be accepted from the field up to December 1.

Final selections are made at the Midwinter Meeting during a series of Committee meetings closed to the public. Only Committee members attending the Midwinter Meeting will be allowed to vote. Members can only vote on books they have read.

Please keep in mind the following criteria guiding the Committee's final selection when you are selecting books to nominate:

The William C. Morris Debut YA Award will be awarded annually beginning in 2009, honoring a book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. It must have been designated by its publisher as being either a young adult book or one published for the age range that YALSA defines as "young adult;" i.e., 12 through 18, and must have been copyrighted and introduced during the assigned calendar year. It may be written by either an American or foreign author. Works of joint authorship are eligible, but only if all contributors meet all other criteria. For example, graphic works created by an author and an illustrator are eligible, but only if both contributors have never published before.The award winner and finalists must be authors of original young adult works of fiction in any genre, nonfiction, poetry, a short story collection, or graphic work.

For further eligibility rules, please see the Morris Award's Policies and Procedures.