Entries now open for the 2016 National Biography Award

Entries are now open for Australia's richest prize for biographical writing and memoir – the National Biography Award 2016, with $25,000 awarded to the winner and $1,000 for each shortlisted author.

The National Biography Award is administered and presented by the State Library of NSW on behalf of the Award's benefactor Mr Michael Crouch AO.

Former Senior Judge and Director of the National Centre of Biography, Professor Melanie Nolan said: 'The NBA gives recognition to hard-working authors and signals to the literary community the works that stand out the most. For almost 20 years the Award has been effectively compiling a map of the most significant Australian life-writing publications."

Established in 1996 by Dr Geoffrey Cains, the National Biography Award encourages the highest standards of writing in the fields of biography and autobiography, and promotes public interest in these genres.

In 2015 Philip Butterss took out the Award for his biography of C J Dennis, An Unsentimental Bloke. His book, published by Wakefield Press, is now being reprinted on the back of winning the Award.

There will be an extended nomination period to allow for the Christmas and New Year break. Entries for the 2016 Award will close on Thursday 4 February 2015.

The online nomination form and guidelines are available on the State Library's website.

The winner will be announced at the State Library of NSW in August 2016.