literary non-fiction
For the literary non-fiction category, the work must present a text of personal reflection where the point of view and opinion of the author are evident. Eligible titles have a literary style and use narrative techniques. They must make a significant contribution to literature, the appreciation of works by Canadian authors or artists or knowledge of the arts.
For clarity, the following works are not considered “literary non-fiction”:
- reference, academic, scholarly or educational publications
- professional manuals and reference books intended for a specialized audience
- catalogues of visual art exhibitions (in other words, a publication of one or more visual artists’ work related to a specific exhibition, which includes one or more of the following elements: detailed information regarding the exhibition, a list of works exhibited, an artist’s statement and provenance of the works)
- illustrated non-fiction publications that do not include a narrative text with a minimum length of 10,000 words, unless they make a significant contribution to visual arts or literature in Canada
- books with text that is a compilation of short captions, quotations, jokes or sayings
- calendars, agendas, almanacs and cookbooks
- guidebooks, including travel, nature and gastronomy guides
- how-to books and books about skills or games
- colouring books and activity books
- trivia and quiz books
- autobiographies and other books that emphasize personal growth (in other words, those that focus on self-actualization, self-improvement, healing or devotional or spiritual practice)
- psychology and self-help books
- collections of letters, journal or diary entries, or previously published articles, transcripts of interviews, broadcasts and conference papers, unless they make a significant literary contribution.