These awards honor ASJA members whose articles, produced on a freelance basis, have demonstrated excellence in eight distinct categories:
• Business/Technology/Science article
• First-person personal experience or dramatic narrative (compelling narrative nonfiction as well as "as-told-to" personal experiences)
• Lifestyle article (narrative nonfiction on a lifestyle-oriented subject such as travel, food & wine, culture, art, music, leisure pursuits)
• Personal essay, opinion, or op-ed; may include blog posts published by third parties (personal essay and opinion/op-ed pieces will be judged separately; two winners may be chosen)
• Profiles
• Reporting on a significant topic (for example, narrative or literary journalism dealing with a topic such as a medical breakthrough, new legislation, racial intolerance, environmental concerns, business/finance, etc., for consumer publications)
• Service article (for example, advice, self-help, guidance, how-to)
• Trade article (written for a specialized industry publication intended for a specialized or professional audience)