Texas Institute of Letters

The Texas Institute of Letters is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to stimulate interest in Texas letters and to recognize distinctive literary achievement. Induction into the TIL is based on literary achievement.

Founded in 1936, the TIL offers awards to outstanding books written by Texas authors, or dealing with Texas subjects. The TIL also co-administrates the Dobie Paisano Fellowship, which awards residencies at the ranch of former TIL President J. Frank Dobie.

Each year the TIL awards over $20,000 in literary prizes, including the Jesse H. Jones Award for Fiction, the Carr P. Collins Award for Nonfiction, the Steven Turner Award for First Book of Fiction, the Ramirez Scholarly Book Award, the Helen C. Smith Award for Poetry, the Bob Bush Award for First Book of Poetry, the Edwin "Bud" Shrake Award for Short Nonfiction, the Kay Cattarulla Short Story Award, the Fred Whitehead Award for Design of a Trade Book, the H-E-B/Jean Flynn Children's Book Award, the H-E-B Young Adult Book Award, and the Denton Record-Chronicle Best Children's Picture Book Award.

Prominent members include: Melissa del Bosque, Robert Flynn, Ben Fountain, Skip Hollandsworth, Larry McMurtry, Pat Mora, Naomi Shihab Nye, Carmen Tafolla, and Lawrence Wright.

The Lon Tinkle Award is a life-achievement award bestowed annually to distinguished writers from, or in some way associated with, Texas. The honorees are chosen by the TIL Council from nominations made by the membership.

Winners

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