Contemporary Romance Categories

Contemporary romance is the original category. Authors such as Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell wrote contemporary novels that reflected the world they lived in, though may seem historical to today's readers. Perhaps more than any other sub-genre, the contemporary categories have been modified by RWA throughout the years.

Current categories (announced in 2020 for the 2021 awards):

Contemporary Romance – Long

Works that are set no more than 50 years prior to the contest date to the present that are 80,000 or more words in length.

Contemporary Romance – Mid

Works that are set no more than 50 years prior to the contest date to the present that are between 50,000 and 80,000 words in length.

Contemporary Romance – Short

Works that are set no more than 50 years prior to the contest date to the present that are between 20,000 and 50,000 words in length.