WAM Abu Dhabi, May 21st, 2012 (WAM) -- The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has announced redefining its "Literature" Award to accept no more than creative literary works starting this seventh cycle of 2012/2013.

The revamped category will be open to literary text such as poetry, short stories, travel books and novels excluding woks of literary criticism.

Speaking of the amendment, Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Sheikh Zayed Book Award's Secretary General, commented: "It has become fundamental to separate between creative literary works and literary criticism [non-literary] since the quality and volume of works in both branches is increasing consistently." Literature has been the most-applied for category of Sheikh Zayed Book Awards, topping rest of categories with the number of nominations received year on year with renowned figures named winners. In the Award's last session wrapped up last March, "Literature" led the rest of the categories with 26% of a total of 560 nominations from over 25 countries worldwide.

With the amendment now in effect, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award expects even a larger momentum in participations in the two renewed categories "literature" and "Literary and Art Criticism" in its 7th Cycle now open for nominations until end of September 2012.

WAM/ES/AM