In an effort to broaden the reach and impact of the National Book Awards, the National Book Foundation will select a longlist of 10 titles in each of its four categories (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature), beginning in 2013. The longlist (10 titles per category) will be announced five weeks before the finalists (five titles per category) announcement: in 2013, the longlist will be announced on September 12, the finalists on October 15, and the winners on November 20.
“Our mission is to increase the impact of great writing on American culture and these changes are concrete steps to further that mission,” said David Steinberger, chairman of The National Book Foundation Board of Directors and CEO of Perseus Books Group.
In addition, judges comprising the four panels—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature—will no longer be limited to writers, but now may also include other experts in the field including literary critics, librarians, and booksellers. The number of judges in each panel will remain at five.
