2027 True Story Award

Page Turner Awards True Story Award for memoirs and true stories

True Story Award For Published Books ~ Opens January 2026 and Closes 30 June 2026!

authors can enter page turner book award to become an award winning author

See our 2026 Awards Results.

True Story Award Formats

Your true story can be submitted as a:

  • Published Book
  • Unpublished Manuscript
  • Screenplay or TV Script

True Story Award Submission Types

  • Based On A True Story
  • Biography
  • Creative Non-Fiction
  • Inspired By A True Story

True Story Award Sub-Categories

Your submission can be entered into any of the following Sub-Categories:

  1. Against All Odds Award: Extraordinary resilience and survival against impossible circumstances
    2. Unsung Hero Award: Everyday people doing extraordinary things, quiet heroism
    3. Most Social Impact Award: Stories that drive change, raise awareness, and make a difference
    4. 2026 Best True Debut Award: First-time true story writers

True Story Award Sub-Genres

Choose any of these genres:

  • True Business: Entrepreneurship, corporate stories, business journeys
  • True Coming of Age: Youth, self-discovery, identity formation
  • True Crime: Criminal cases, justice stories, investigations, investigative journalism, cold cases
  • True Cultural: Immigration, identity, diaspora experiences
  • True Drama: Compelling narratives that don't fit other categories
  • True Environmental: Climate, conservation, nature-based experiences
  • True Exposé: Whistleblowing, political stories, investigative journalism, uncovering the truth
  • True Family: Family dynamics, secrets, sagas, multi-generational stories
  • True Historical: Events from history, period pieces, wartime stories
  • True LGBTQ+: Coming out, identity, community, activism
  • True Medical: Addiction, illness, disability, medical journeys, recovery, psychological, mental health, and healing journeys
  • True Military: Combat, service, veteran experiences
  • True Romance: Love stories, marriage, family relationships
  • True Social Justice: Civil rights, activism, inequality, advocacy
  • True Spiritual: Faith journeys, loss of faith, spiritual awakening
  • True Sports: Athletic achievements, overcoming odds in sports
  • True Travel Adventures: Journeys, expeditions, survival, cross-cultural experiences
  • Creative Non-Fiction: Fact-Based, it' rooted in accuracy, research, and real life, not imagined scenarios.

Judging Criteria

True Story Award submissions will be judged on the following:

  1. Emotional Impact & Storytelling - Does the story move the readers (a judge or reader) and demonstrate strong narrative craft?
  2. Universal Relatability - Can readers connect with the themes and characters regardless of their own experiences?
  3. Writing Quality - Is the prose engaging, well-structured, and professionally presented?

Please Note: Creative Nonfiction describes a writing style (literary storytelling of true events) rather than a content type. Your submission can fit multiple sub-genres - for example, a memoir written with creative nonfiction techniques, but the choice is yours to select any of the sub-genres. Check out some true story beat sheets.

Special Prizes

The special prizes for this award include:

  • A book adaptation of the winning published book or unpublished manuscript
  • Or for a winning screenplay, the script will be fully edited
  • A pitch deck, pitch letter, or query letter, and a film treatment to fully arm the winner to pitch their true story
  • We are also looking for agents and producers who will give the winner a consultation on their story

Our judging panel will be added in January 2027.

Get Notified for the 2027 Awards