Romance Writers of America (RWA) Awards
The RITA® is awarded by the Romance Writers of America to the best romance fiction in a given year. Named after RWA’s first president, Rita Clay Estrada, the RITA® is the highest honor a romance author can receive. Published authors judge entrants in 12 categories. The finalists are generally announced toward the end of March. Winners are announced at RWA's Annual Conference.
From its introduction in 1982 until 1989, the RITA® was known as The Golden Medallion. The current award is a gold statue.
