Editing National Book Award (section)

== Process ==
National Book Awards are given to one book (author) annually in each of five categories: [[fiction]], [[nonfiction]], [[poetry]], [[translation]], and [[children's literature|young people's literature]]. There have previously been many other categories but they have been retired or subsumed in the existing five. The National Book Foundation also presents two lifetime achievement awards each year: the "Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters" and the "Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community".<ref name=history>National Book Foundation: About Us: [http://www.nationalbook.org/aboutus_history.html "History of the National Book Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003005153/http://nationalbook.org/aboutus_history.html |date=2018-10-03 }}. Retrieved before 2011-10.</ref>

Only publishers nominate books for the National Book Awards, but panelists may request particular nominations from publishers. Each panel comprises five judges, including writers, librarians, booksellers, and literary critics. In 2013, the judging panels were expanded to include experts in the literary field in addition to established writers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalbook.org/nba_process.html#.WIjL_lMrKUk|title=How the National Book Awards Work|website=www.nationalbook.org|access-date=27 November 2017|archive-date=9 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609202556/http://www.nationalbook.org/nba_process.html#.WIjL_lMrKUk|url-status=live}}</ref>

Each panel considers hundreds of books each year in each of the five categories. In 2013, the Foundation announced the addition of a National Book Awards longlist—announced in September and consisting of ten titles per category—to precede the finalists list, announced in October and comprising five titles per category.<ref name=2013change>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalbook.org/2013_01_15_nba_changes.html |title=National Book Foundation Announces Changes in the National Book Awards Review and Selection Process |date=January 15, 2013 |publisher=National Book Award |access-date=2012-01-15 |archive-date=2013-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118032939/http://www.nationalbook.org/2013_01_15_nba_changes.html? |url-status=live }}</ref> The fifth category, the [[National Book Award for Translated Literature]], was added in 2018, recognizing works in translation for the first time since 1983.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/668135748/book-awards-honor-translated-literature-for-the-first-time-since-1983|title=Book Awards Honor Translated Literature For The First Time Since 1983|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-01-03|archive-date=2019-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101125459/https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/668135748/book-awards-honor-translated-literature-for-the-first-time-since-1983|url-status=live}}</ref> At the National Book Awards Ceremony and Dinner held in New York City each November, the chair of each judging panel announces the winners of the year's National Book Awards. Each finalist receives $1,000, a medal, and a citation written by the judging panel; winners get $10,000 and a bronze sculpture.<ref name=selection>National Book Foundation: Awards: [http://www.nationalbook.org/selection_process.html "National Book Award Selection Process"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613084047/http://www.nationalbook.org/selection_process.html |date=2008-06-13 }}. Retrieved before 2011-10.</ref>