The GAYA – A History of Excellence

The Georgia Writers Association recognizes Georgia’s authors of excellence by presenting the Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) Ceremony. The GAYA ceremony has the distinction of being the oldest literary awards ceremony in the Southeastern United States while reflecting the current publishing world. The GAYA honors both independently published authors and those whose books are published by traditional publishing houses. The Awards Ceremony has grown in prestige and participation since its inception in 1964 by the Dixie Council of Authors and Journalists. The GAYA changed hands in 1990 to Georgia Writers Association (GWA), and in 2006, the GWA began a strong affiliation with Kennesaw State University’s Department of Humanities. The GAYA covers the traditional categories of Poetry and Fiction while accommodating the growing Creative Non-Fiction genre. In 2012, over 100 books were nominated for Georgia Author of the Year. The guidelines are revised each year to parallel the changing literary marketplace.

2016 Nominees