Interested in

submitting your book

All U.S-published books are eligible to submit
Learn more below

Submit your book to The Prize.

Interesting in submitting your latest book to The Prize? All eligible authors/books are welcome to submit their work for consideration! For questions about the submission process, contact us at thurberprize@thurberhouse.org.

2023 Thurber House logo

Book Submission Resources

Submit book(s) here

What do I need to submit for consideration?

PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND REFER TO THE SPECIFIC PRIZE ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION RULES FOR YOUR YEAR OF INTEREST BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.

1) The online entry form, including a PDF version of your book (to be used solely for judging purposes; PDFs may be watermarked). If you represent multiple authors, please submit one entry form per book.

2) $75 submission fee — if you are using a credit card, you will be asked for payment on the online entry form. If you are mailing a check, complete the online entry form, then mail your check to Thurber House at the address below. Submission fees are non-refundable.

3) Mail five printed copies of the book to:

Thurber House

Attn: Thurber Prize

77 Jefferson Avenue

Columbus, OH 43215

Please note:

• Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) are not eligible for judging purposes. You must send the officially released book.

• If you represent multiple authors, you may enclose multiple submissions in the same box.

• If you are paying by check, please enclose your check with your books whenever possible.

What is the submission/judging/award timeline?

Here's how the entire process works:


1) Submissions typically open in January or February for books being published that year (for example purposes, let's say you have a book published in the year 2050).

2) Submissions are due by May 31 of the following year for books published in the previous calendar year (in our example, your book published in the year 2050 is due by May 31, 2051).

3) Thurber Prize judging begins shortly after the May 31 submission deadline and all books are received. There are two rounds of judging.

4) Semi-finalists are typically notified in October (in our example, this would be October 2051).

5) Finalists are typically notified in January or February (in our example, this would be January or February 2052).

6) The award is presented in April or May (in our example, this would be April or May 2052).

Still have questions?

Please contact us at thurberprize@thurberhouse.org, and we’ll be happy to help.

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The 25th Thurber Prize
12pm
*For books published in calendar year 2024

The submission deadline for The 25th Thurber Prize for American Humor is May 31, 2025. Books published in 2024 are eligible.

Eligibility:

Published in the U.S.
Published in 2024
Author is 18+ yrs. old


IMPORTANT:
BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR BOOK FOR THE CORRECT THURBER PRIZE BASED ON ITS PUBLICATION DATE.

NEW THIS AWARD CYCLE: Only books that are traditionally published and hybrid published (by legitimate, reputable hybrids) are eligible. All hybrid publishers will be vetted; they must be selective with the titles they publish and adhere to IBPA’s Hybrid Publisher Criteria.

PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND REFER TO THE SPECIFIC PRIZE ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION RULES FOR YOUR YEAR OF INTEREST BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.

Submit your book(s) to
The 25th Prize
25th Prize Eligibility & Submission Rules
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The 24th Thurber Prize
12pm
*For books published in calendar year 2023

The submission deadline for The 24th Thurber Prize for American Humor is May 31, 2024. Books published in 2023 are eligible.

Eligibility:

Published in the U.S.
Published in 2023
Author is 18+ yrs. old


IMPORTANT:
BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR BOOK FOR THE CORRECT THURBER PRIZE BASED ON ITS PUBLICATION DATE.

PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND REFER TO THE SPECIFIC PRIZE ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION RULES FOR YOUR YEAR OF INTEREST BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.

Submit your book(s) to The 24th Prize24th Prize Eligibility & Submission Rules
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The 23rd Thurber Prize
12pm
*For books published in calendar year 2022

The submission deadline for The 23rd Thurber Prize for American Humor is May 31, 2023. Books published in 2022 are eligible.

Eligibility:

Published in the U.S.
Published in 2022
Author is 18+ yrs. old

IMPORTANT: BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR BOOK FOR THE CORRECT THURBER PRIZE BASED ON ITS PUBLICATION DATE.

Submit your book to The 23rd Prize23rd Prize Eligibility & Submission Rules

We've got the answers to your questions.

How many finalists are there?

We have three finalists each year out of the hundreds of submissions that we receive from authors all across the country. From indie self-pubs to best-selling authors and everything in between, these writers try their chance at taking home the coveted Thurber Prize each year. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just getting started in the field, this award show is made by and for the industry to celebrate the very best in humor writing.

What will happen at the live show?

The live award show on April 28, 2023 in Columbus, OH allows you to see the finalists read and be awarded in real time. The show is also jam-packed with music, dance, and comedy to give you an unforgettable evening of humor.

How does the judging process work?

Shhh... The judging process is top-secret... Just kidding. Any author from around the country with a qualifying book is able to submit their work for consideration. Once submissions close for the year, our panel of national judges quickly gets to work reading and scoring each book. This process is done in two rounds of judging which gives us our top six to eight semi-finalists, top three finalists, then eventually our winner who is awarded the evening of the show.

Who will be at the live show?

Each year, the live show is attended by industry professionals, humor and/or writing enthusiasts, fans-of-the-authors, and many other people who just want to have a good time!

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