SALA was inaugurated in 2005 with one category, the South African National Poet Laureate Prize. To date, SALA boasts 11 categories including, “South African National Poet Laureate Prize and the Chairperson’s Awards”.

 

  1. First-time Published Author Award
  • The award is open to all genres
  • The author must not have published before in any genre
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award
  • The award is open to novels and novellas only
  • Only writers aged 40 and below are eligible to enter
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted

 

  1. Poetry Award
  • Only collections by an individual author will be considered. Anthologies are not accepted
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award
  • Only short story collections by one author will be considered.
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Creative Non-Fiction Award
  • The award is open to creative non-fiction works, i.e. Biographies/Autobiographies, Letters, Speeches and Memoirs
  • In the case of Letters and Speeches, only a collection of work published by one author will be accepted
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Literary Translators Award
  • Only literary works translated by a South African on South African works of art will be considered
  • All literary genres are considered.
  • Both the original and translated copies must be submitted
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Literary Journalism Award
  • The entrant must have made a significant contribution to the promotion and development of South African literature through writing, commentating, advocating and critiquing
  • The award includes print and electronic media
  • A sample of the author’s work must be submitted. This can include videos, articles, podcasts and any other evidence of work.
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Posthumous Literary Award
  • The author will be judged on his/her overall literary achievement
  • The profile of the author and at least three (3) books (different titles by the author) must be submitted with the entry (please note 5 of each title should be submitted)
  • No age restrictions

 

  1. Lifetime Achievement Literary Award
  • The author must be 60-years old or above
  • The author will be judged on his/her overall literary achievement
  • A profile of the author and at least three (3) books (different titles by the author) must be submitted with the entry (please note 5 of each title should be submitted)

 

  1. Novel Award
  • Only fiction work will be considered
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

 

  1. Children’s Literature Award
  • Only adult authors will be accepted
  • Only fiction work will be accepted
  • Only works published in 2016 and 2017 will be accepted

 

  1. Youth Literature Award
  • Fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age
  • Only fiction work will be accepted
  • No age restriction
  • Only works published in 2017 and 2018 will be accepted

 

  1. Chairperson’s Award

Awarded on the discretion of the Chairperson of the SALA Advisory Board.