Background

The Michigan Author Award was established in 1992 with the intention of recognizing significant Michigan authors with a lifetime achievement award. Previously developed by the Michigan Library Association, the award is now facilitated by the Library of Michigan and Michigan Center for the Book. The Michigan Author Award Work Group members consist of an assemblage of librarians, both public and academic, from across the state. Over the years the award has been given to a diverse collection of writers working in a variety of genres and styles.

Qualifications/Eligibility

Anyone is eligible to submit a nomination. The author must meet the following qualifications to be considered eligible for the award:

• The author must either be a current resident of Michigan, a long-time resident of Michigan recently relocated or an author whose works are identified with Michigan because of subject matter and/or setting in Michigan.
• The author's work may be in the form of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, or any other literary format the Michigan Author Award Group finds acceptable. 
• The author must have a body of work encompassing at least three published titles for adults, teens, or children.
• Authors who self-publish are eligible for consideration, as long as their work is available in libraries.
• The author must be living at the time of the nomination.
• The author must have a publishing career spanning a minimum of five years.

To learn more about the award, contact the Library of Michigan at Librarian@Michigan.gov.

Nominations

The nomination period for the 2022 Michigan Author Award closed on November 7, 2022. 

Michigan Author Award is granted based on the quality and body of the author's work. The number of nominations per author is not taken into consideration when selecting the Michigan Author Award winner.

List of Previous Winners