German Book Prize

The German Book Prize (German: Deutscher Buchpreis) is awarded annually, in October, by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association (Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels) to the best new German-language novel of the year. The books, published in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, are nominated by their publishers, who can propose up to two books from their current or planned publication list. The books should be in shops before the short-list is announced in September of the award year. The winner is awarded €25,000, while the five shortlisted authors receive €2,500 each. It is presented annually during the Frankfurt Book Fair. The prize was created in 2005, as a successor to the Deutscher Bücherpreis, to heighten awareness for authors writing in German. It is based on the same idea as literary prizes such as the Booker Prize or the Prix Goncourt.

From the Wikipedia article “German Book Prize”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Check the official rules of the German Book Prize for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.