The submission period is now closed, thank you to all who have participated and good luck!
2019 Awards Co-Chairs:
Salley Shannon, ASJA Past President and Helen Wolkowicz
AWARDS OPEN TO ALL
The Arlenes: Books and Articles That Make a Difference
ASJA member Howard Eisenberg established the Arlene Eisenberg Memorial Fund to honor his late wife, the author of What to Expect When You're Expecting and other bestselling books that made a difference in the lives of mothers worldwide. Income generated by the fund allows ASJA to give monetary awards to winners of "Arlenes," which are given annually for articles and once every three years for books. The winning book or freelance article must have "made a difference" by inspiring positive action within a locale or community, society, or the world. In the past, the award has been given for articles or books that inspired readers to do such things as lobby for legislation or to form an advocacy group. Past winners also have stirred officials to launch an investigation, correct an injustice, or remove a hazard.
The Arlene Book Award typically is awarded every three years. For 2019, eligible books must have been published in 2016, 2017, or 2018.
To be considered for an Arlene, articles and books MUST be:
- Published in the United States within the stated period
- Freelance written
- Accompanied by documentation supporting the positive impact of the book or article. This may include evidence of media coverage, testimonials, or other public recognition.
The Donald Robinson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism
This award honors ASJA's third president, a noted investigative writer. Articles entered should demonstrate outstanding writing and organization plus new or hitherto unrevealed research. Or if the topic frequently gets attention, it should show it in a new light.
The work of any writer may be nominated so long as it is freelance-written and published or released in the United States during the eligibility period. (Staff-written work does not qualify.)
If the work was supported by a grant or payment from a foundation or other organization, or the author was otherwise aided (such as in data collection or statistical analysis) we ask that this be noted at the time of submission, along with the time period for any such support. This is solely for the purpose of establishing that the work was freelance-written.
Outstanding Article Awards
These awards honor writers whose articles, produced on a freelance basis, have demonstrated excellence in writing, research and clarity of presentation.
Categories:
These awards honor writers whose articles, produced on a freelance basis, have demonstrated excellence in writing, research and clarity of presentation.
Categories:
- Fitness & Sports - New in 2019, this includes pieces on running, fitness, and any sport or specific sporting event. Profiles may be entered here or in "Profiles", but not both.
- Food & Drink - New in 2019, this includes articles about food, wine, beer, a restaurant or restaurants, a vineyard, cooks, and the like.
- Opinion/Op-Eds - Category may include blog posts published by third parties. In addition to the writer’s opinion, entries must include reported evidence/research.
AWARDS OPEN TO ASJA MEMBERS ONLY
June Roth Memorial Awards for Outstanding Medical Book and Article
The June Roth Memorial Fund was established by her late husband to honor our 31st president, a well-known medical writer. Income generated by the fund provides monetary awards to ASJA members whose articles or books represent exceptional achievement in health and medical writing. The June Roth Article Award is offered every year.
For 2019, eligible articles must have been published in 2018. The June Roth Book Award typically is presented every three years. For 2019, a book must have been published in 2016, 2017, or 2018.
Outstanding Book Awards
These awards are conferred upon ASJA members whose nonfiction books are deemed significant, exceptionally well-researched and skillfully written.
The categories:
- Biography/History
- Children/Young Adult Nonfiction
- General Nonfiction
- Memoir/Autobiography
- Service/Self-help
- June Roth Award for a Medical Book
Outstanding Article Awards
These awards honor ASJA members whose articles, produced on a freelance basis, have demonstrated excellence in writing, research and clarity of presentation.
Categories:
- Blog Post, Personal - This is intended for posts, or a collection of no more than three related posts on the same topic, published on personal blogs. [Articles appearing on third-party blogs should be entered in Opinion/Op-Ed or Reported Essays.]
A blog entry can be one entry despite being run on successive days if:• The successive posts are on the same topic and build on one another, so that one would have difficulty understanding later posts without reading the beginning one;• So long as the related posts are completed in one week,• And there are no unrelated posts on another topic in between the related blog posts which the writer wants to be one entry. - Business, including Marketing - This category, new in 2019, is for any business-related article, including "ghosted" pieces. (Honor system. If you tell us you wrote it, that's enough.)
- Excellence in Reporting - The category was formerly called "Reporting on a Significant Topic." Consideration will be given to the relevance and universality of the topic, as well as overall excellence.
- First-Person Essays - The category includes personal essays that are entirely based on personal experiences, reflections or observations. [See Reported Essays.]
- Health - Any piece on a health or fitness topic is eligible, no matter where published.
- How-To - Formerly "Service" articles. These may include advice, self-help, or how to do something.
- Lifestyle - articles on matters of culture, style, leisure and home pursuits (including decorating and companion animals), art and music criticism and reviews.
- Profiles - The category (new as a "stand alone" in 2019) includes all profiles, no matter where published. Formerly, members entered profiles appearing in trade journals in the "Trade" category.
- Reported Essays - This category, new in 2019, is for personal essays that incorporate research supporting the topic.
- Technology and Science - Articles on any tech or science subject may be entered.
- Trade - This category includes pieces that appeared in a specialized industry or professional publication intended for members or those who work in a specific field.
- Travel - Any narrative travel article is eligible. New in 2019.
