What are the Whitneys?

The Whitneys are an awards program for novels written by LDS authors. Elder Orson F. Whitney, an early apostle in the LDS church, prophesied:

"We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own. Above all things, we must be original. Our mission is diverse from all others; our literature must also be."

It is our hope to be a part of that journey toward excellence by honoring LDS writers and showcasing, through their work, the standards that make us a unique people.

The Whitney Awards honor novels in the following categories:

• Adult categories
• General Fiction
• Romance
• Historical Romance
• Mystery/Suspense
• Speculative Fiction

• Youth categories:
• Young Adult General
• Young Adult Speculative
• Young Adult Fantasy
• Middle Grade

• Overall categories:
• Novel of the Year (Adult)
• Novel of the Year (Youth)
• Best Novel by a Debut Author

Novels can be nominated by any reader (via this form), and nominees are voted on by an academy of industry professionals, including authors, publishers, bookstore owners, distributors, critics, and others.

The awards were founded in 2007 and operate as a semi-autonomous subsidiary of LDStorymakers.