Nominating a Book

Lake Superior Writers recently revised NEMBA’s nomination process. Please read the entire nomination process. If you have questions, please email nemba@lakesuperiorwriters.org

The Categories

Prizes currently can be – but are not required to be – awarded in four categories:

  • Nonfiction/Memoir: Nonfiction works such as history, biography, guidebooks, cookbooks, books about science and nature, scholarly works and art/photography books plus memoir books that examine some aspect of the world from a highly personal perspective. These include works directed toward Young Adult audiences.

  • Fiction: Novels, short stories, plays and other works of narrative fiction, including fiction directed toward Young Adult audiences.

  • Poetry: Collections of poetry by one or a combined group of poets or a single poem of book length.

  • Children’s Literature/Middle Grade: Picture books and beginning readers (generally for ages 0-7), chapter books and novels for middle graders.

Eligibility Requirements for 2026 NEMBA

Anyone, including the author, may nominate a book for the NEMBA awards.

The authors and/or subject matter of the nominated books ideally would represent northeastern Minnesota or close neighboring regions in the areas of history, culture, heritage and lifestyle.

Nominated books must have 2025 original release date. Books with a 2024 copyright that were not released until 2025 may be nominated for the 2026 NEMBA awards, but a written explanation for why a book with a 2024 copyright is eligible must be submitted along with the nomination form.

Nominated books must be available in English and be presented in a bound-paper format.

The following books are NOT eligible:

  • E-books exclusively in electronic format.
  • Books with content either partially or fully AI generated. 
  • Reprints of books originally published in a previous year.
  • Previously published books unless at least 50% of the content is new – documentation will be required.
  • Exhibition catalogs.

Authors ineligible for the NEMBA awards include:

  • All NEMBA Committee members and volunteers
  • Reading Team members 
  • All active LSW Board members. If an active LSW board member is nominated, they must resign.
  • Family members of reading teams are ineligible for awards in the category for which the team member is judging. They are eligible in the other categories.

All others, including LSW members who do not currently serve on the board and who meet the stated criteria for books, are eligible for the awards.

Judging

All information received from the nomination form is advisory to the NEMBA committee. The final decision for category placement, retention or removal from the competition will be made by the NEMBA Committee, in consultation with the Reading Teams as necessary.

Reading Teams will choose a First Place winner and Second Place winner in each category. A book can be nominated in more than one area, but the NEMBA Committee will determine the specific category for the entry.

There is no guarantee that a prize will be awarded in any category.

Entry Requirements & Deadline

There are 3 steps to Nominate a Book:

  1. Complete the online Nomination Form.

  2. A $40 NON-REFUNDABLE entry fee is required for each nominated title.  Use the button below to pay with PayPal or by credit card.
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  1. Mail FOUR copies of each nominated book to the address below. The books are non-returnable. (After reading teams are done with them, books are donated to local libraries.)

NEMBA
1626 London Road #895
Duluth, MN 55812

Note: Your nomination is not final until all three steps have been completed. All three steps must be completed before the deadline for entry. Packages of books must be postmarked by the June 30 deadline.

Questions about this nomination process?  Email us at NEMBA@lakesuperiorwriters.org

Deadline for Entry: June 30, 2026.

Prizes

Reading Teams may choose a First Place winner and Second Place winner in each category. If a book is nominated in more than one area, the NEMBA committee will determine the category for the entry.

The First Place book in each category will receive a cash prize of $200. The First and Second Place books in each category will receive recognition at our annual event in the fall, a glass plaque and 100 book seals. 

PLEASE NOTE: Entries do not guarantee that a prize will be awarded in that category.