Annual Book Award

Deadline extended to December 15^th 2011

The Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) solicits the first unpublished book-length manuscripts on American, British, and other modern-language literature and cultural studies and on related areas for its annual book award, given for the best first unpublished manuscript by a member of NeMLA who is either a registered participant for the 2012 convention OR has a paid registration or membership for at least one year between 2007 and 2011.

Please note that all manuscripts must be written in English.

Each manuscript must include a general description, or overview of the proposed book (2-3 single-spaced pages) as well as a round-up of competing books (if any exist), and a brief explanation of the uniqueness of the proposed book. Manuscripts should be prepared for blind submission, with no personal references in the introduction, acknowledgments, title page, or table of contents (books containing such references will NOT be reviewed). NeMLA will not consider unrevised dissertations for this award (i.e. those not revised as a book manuscript, as expected for submission to any Press).¹ Each award includes a $750 cash prize and an honorable mention. In addition, NeMLA may assist winners with contacting presses about the publication of their manuscripts (at the winner's discretion).

Normally two manuscripts are selected for prizes, one in English and one in one of the other modern languages, but the NeMLA book committee may choose not to make one award or both in a year if it feels the manuscripts are not worthy of honorable mention and publication. The winners will be announced at the annual business meeting, held during NeMLA’s spring convention.

Click here to see a list of past winners of the Book Prize

For consideration, please email file copies to Dr. Simona Wright at nemlabook@gmail.com by December 15^th 2011; a bound copy may be requested. Email any questions concerning the award to Northeast.MLA@gmail.com

1. See the following books for advice on revising a dissertation:

Robin Derricourt, An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing (Princeton: Princeton U, 1996)
Eleanor Harman and Ian Montagnes, eds., The Thesis and the Book, 2^nd ed. (Toronto; UP of Toronto, 2003)
Beth Luey, Handbook for Academic Authors 4^th ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002)