# World Fantasy Special Award—Professional

The World Fantasy Awards are given each year by the World Fantasy Convention for the best fantasy fiction and art published in English during the preceding calendar year. The awards have been described by sources such as The Guardian as a "prestigious fantasy prize", and one of the three most renowned speculative fiction awards, along with the Hugo and Nebula Awards (which cover both fantasy and science fiction). The World Fantasy Special Award—Professional is given each year to individuals for their professional work in the preceding calendar year in fields related to fantasy that is not covered by other World Fantasy Award categories. These have included editors of magazines and novels, publishers, and authors of non-fiction works. Occasionally, especially in the first few years of the award, some publishing companies were nominated along with individual editors and publishers. The nomination reasons were not specified in the first year of the award, and have sometimes not been specified beyond "contributions to the genre". Individuals are also eligible for the Special Award—Non-professional category for their non-professional work. The World Fantasy Special Award—Professional has been awarded annually since 1975.
World Fantasy Award nominees and winners are decided by attendees and judges at the annual World Fantasy Convention. A ballot is posted in June for attendees of the current and previous two conferences to determine two of the finalists, and a panel of five judges adds three or more nominees before voting on the overall winner. The panel of judges is typically made up of fantasy authors and is chosen each year by the World Fantasy Awards Administration, which has the power to break ties. The final results are presented at the World Fantasy Convention at the end of October. Winners were presented with a statue in the form of a bust of H. P. Lovecraft through the 2015 awards; more recent winners receive a statuette of a tree.
During the 50 nomination years, 170 individuals and 4 publishing companies have been nominated; 59 people have won, including ties and co-nominees. For his work at Donald M. Grant, Publisher Donald M. Grant has won three times out of eight nominations, and six other nominees have won twice. Ian Ballantine and Betty Ballantine have won twice out of two nominations each for their non-fiction and publishing work, and Peter Crowther twice out of four nominations for his work at PS Publishing. Edward L. Ferman won twice out of six nominations for his work at The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Stephen Jones twice out of seven for his editing and anthology work, and Gordon Van Gelder twice out of seven nominations for his editing work in both books and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Ellen Datlow has received the most nominations with ten, winning once, for her editing and anthology work, and David Pringle has the most nominations without winning with five, for his work at Interzone and for "contributions to the genre".

## Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony, rather than when the work was performed. The table includes the stated reason the individual (or company) was nominated, which may not have been the only fantasy-related professional work they did during the previous calendar year. "N/A" in the reason column represents a nomination where no reason was given. Entries with a blue background and an asterisk (*) next to the individual's name have won the award; those with a white background are the other nominees on the shortlist.
* Winners
Winners and nominees :
| Year | Winner or nominee | Reason(s) |
| 1975 | Ian Ballantine* | N/A |
| 1975 | Betty Ballantine* | N/A |
| 1975 | Donald A. Wollheim | N/A |
| 1976 | Donald M. Grant* | publishing |
| 1976 | Donald A. Wollheim | publishing and editing |
| 1976 | Arkham House | publishing |
| 1976 | Frank Belknap Long | Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Dreamer on the Nightside |
| 1976 | Willis Conover | Lovecraft at Last |
| 1976 | L. Sprague de Camp | Lovecraft: A Biography |
| 1977 | Shelley Torgeson* | Alternate World Recordings |
| 1977 | Roy Torgeson* | Alternate World Recordings |
| 1977 | Arkham House | publishing |
| 1977 | Edward L. Ferman | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1977 | DAW Books | publishing |
| 1977 | Ballantine Books | publishing |
| 1978 | Everett F. Bleiler* | N/A |
| 1978 | Edward L. Ferman | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1978 | Donald A. Wollheim | DAW Books |
| 1978 | Judy-Lynn del Rey | Ballantine Books |
| 1978 | Lester del Rey | Ballantine Books |
| 1979 | Edward L. Ferman* | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1979 | Donald M. Grant | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1980 | Donald M. Grant* | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1980 | Pat LoBrutto | Doubleday |
| 1980 | James Turner | Arkham House |
| 1980 | Donald A. Wollheim | DAW Books |
| 1980 | Lester del Rey | Ballantine Del Rey Fantasy |
| 1981 | Donald A. Wollheim* | DAW Books |
| 1981 | Tim Underwood | Underwood–Miller |
| 1981 | Chuck Miller | Underwood–Miller |
| 1981 | Terry Carr | anthologies |
| 1981 | Lester del Rey | Ballantine Del Rey |
| 1981 | David G. Hartwell | Timescape Books |
| 1981 | Edward L. Ferman | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1982 | Edward L. Ferman* | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1982 | David G. Hartwell | Timescape Books |
| 1982 | T. E. D. Klein | The Twilight Zone Magazine |
| 1982 | Tim Underwood | Underwood–Miller |
| 1982 | Chuck Miller | Underwood–Miller |
| 1982 | Donald M. Grant | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1983 | Donald M. Grant* | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1983 | Lester del Rey | Ballantine Del Rey |
| 1983 | David G. Hartwell | Timescape Books |
| 1983 | Pat LoBrutto | Doubleday |
| 1983 | Douglas E. Winter | writing and reviewing |
| 1984 | Ian Ballantine* | The High Kings |
| 1984 | Betty Ballantine* | The High Kings |
| 1984 | Joy Chant* | The High Kings |
| 1984 | George Sharp* | The High Kings |
| 1984 | David Larkin* | The High Kings |
| 1984 | Edward L. Ferman | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1984 | Pat LoBrutto | Doubleday |
| 1984 | L. Sprague de Camp | Dark Valley Destiny |
| 1984 | Catherine Crook de Camp | Dark Valley Destiny |
| 1984 | Jane Whittington Griffin | Dark Valley Destiny |
| 1984 | Everett F. Bleiler | The Guide to Supernatural Fiction |
| 1985 | Chris Van Allsburg* | The Mysteries of Harris Burdick |
| 1985 | T. E. D. Klein | The Twilight Zone Magazine |
| 1985 | Pat LoBrutto | Doubleday |
| 1985 | Shawna McCarthy | Asimov's Science Fiction |
| 1985 | Tim Underwood | Underwood–Miller |
| 1985 | Chuck Miller | Underwood–Miller |
| 1985 | Robert H. Boyer | Fantasists on Fantasy |
| 1985 | Kenneth J. Zahorski | Fantasists on Fantasy |
| 1986 | Pat LoBrutto* | Doubleday |
| 1986 | Terri Windling | editing |
| 1986 | Donald M. Grant | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1986 | Thomas Canty | A Monster at Christmas |
| 1986 | Phil Hale | A Monster at Christmas |
| 1987 | Jane Yolen* | Favorite Folktales from Around the World |
| 1987 | Terri Windling | Ace Books |
| 1987 | Simon Ounsley | Interzone |
| 1987 | David Pringle | Interzone |
| 1987 | David G. Hartwell | Arbor House |
| 1987 | Donald M. Grant | Donald M. Grant, Publisher |
| 1987 | Jack Sullivan | The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural |
| 1988 | David G. Hartwell* | Arbor House, Tor Books, anthologies |
| 1988 | Dean Koontz | service to the field |
| 1988 | Terri Windling | Ace Books, Armadillo |
| 1988 | Shawna McCarthy | Bantam Spectra |
| 1988 | Tappan King | The Twilight Zone Magazine |
| 1988 | Gardner Dozois | Asimov's Science Fiction, anthologies |
| 1988 | George Scithers | Weird Tales |
| 1989 | Terri Windling* | editing |
| 1989 | Robert Weinberg* | A Biographical Dictionary of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists |
| 1989 | Ellen Datlow | Omni, anthologies |
| 1989 | Dean Koontz | writing |
| 1989 | Paul Mikol | Dark Harvest |
| 1989 | Scot Stadalsky | Dark Harvest |
| 1990 | Mark V. Ziesing* | Mark V. Ziesing |
| 1990 | Ellen Datlow | editing |
| 1990 | Paul Mikol | Dark Harvest |
| 1990 | Scot Stadalsky | Dark Harvest |
| 1990 | Tim Underwood | Underwood–Miller |
| 1990 | Chuck Miller | Underwood–Miller |
| 1991 | Arnie Fenner* | designing, Mark V. Ziesing, and Ursus |
| 1991 | Ellen Datlow | editing |
| 1991 | Paul Mikol | Dark Harvest |
| 1991 | Scot Stadalsky | Dark Harvest |
| 1991 | David Pringle | Interzone |
| 1991 | S. T. Joshi | The Weird Tale |
| 1992 | George Scithers* | Weird Tales |
| 1992 | Darrell Schweitzer* | Weird Tales |
| 1992 | Ramsey Campbell | writing and editing |
| 1992 | Donald M. Grant | publishing |
| 1992 | Dean Wesley Smith | publishing, Pulphouse Publishing |
| 1992 | Kristine Kathryn Rusch | publishing, Pulphouse Publishing |
| 1992 | Terri Windling | editing |
| 1993 | Jeanne Cavelos* | editing Dell Abyss |
| 1993 | Martin H. Greenberg | anthologies |
| 1993 | Terri Windling | editing |
| 1993 | Grant Morrison | Batman: Gothic |
| 1993 | Klaus Janson | Batman: Gothic |
| 1993 | James Gurney | Dinotopia |
| 1994 | Tim Underwood* | publishing, Underwood–Miller |
| 1994 | Chuck Miller* | publishing, Underwood–Miller |
| 1994 | John Clute | reviewing |
| 1994 | Ellen Datlow | editing |
| 1994 | Terri Windling | book editing |
| 1994 | Mark V. Ziesing | publishing |
| 1994 | David J. Skal | The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror |
| 1995 | Ellen Datlow* | editing |
| 1995 | Fedogan & Bremer | book publishing |
| 1995 | John Clute | reviewing |
| 1995 | Mark V. Ziesing | Mark V. Ziesing |
| 1995 | Paul Williams | The Ultimate Egoist: Volume I: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon by Theodore Sturgeon |
| 1996 | Richard Evans* | contributions to the genre |
| 1996 | Stephen Jones | editing and anthologies |
| 1996 | Kristine Kathryn Rusch | editing The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1996 | Gordon Van Gelder | editing |
| 1996 | Paul Williams | Microcosmic God: Volume II: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon and for his work with the Literary Estate of Theodore Sturgeon |
| 1997 | Michael J. Weldon* | The Psychotronic Video Guide |
| 1997 | Stephen Jones | editing and anthologies |
| 1997 | David Pringle | contributions to the genre |
| 1997 | Kristine Kathryn Rusch | editing The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1997 | Diana Wynne Jones | The Tough Guide to Fantasyland |
| 1998 | John Clute* | The Encyclopedia of Fantasy |
| 1998 | John Grant* | The Encyclopedia of Fantasy |
| 1998 | Ellen Datlow | editing and anthologies |
| 1998 | Gardner Dozois | editing and anthologies |
| 1998 | Stephen Jones | editing and anthologies |
| 1998 | Gordon Van Gelder | editing books at St. Martin's Press and editing The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 1999 | Jim Turner* | Golden Gryphon Press |
| 1999 | Jo Fletcher | editing |
| 1999 | David Pringle | Interzone |
| 1999 | Robert Silverberg | editing The Avram Davidson Treasury |
| 1999 | Grania Davis | editing The Avram Davidson Treasury |
| 1999 | Les Daniels | Superman: The Complete History |
| 2000 | Gordon Van Gelder* | editing books at St. Martin's Press and editing The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2000 | John Betancourt | Wildside Press |
| 2000 | Warren Lapine | DNA Publications |
| 2000 | Seamus Heaney | the new translation of Beowulf |
| 2000 | Stephen Jones | The Essential Monster Movie Guide |
| 2000 | Kim Newman | Millennium Movies |
| 2001 | Tom Shippey* | J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century |
| 2001 | Ellen Datlow | editing Sci Fiction and anthologies |
| 2001 | William K. Schafer | Subterranean Press |
| 2001 | Gary Turner | Golden Gryphon Press |
| 2001 | Marty Halpern | Golden Gryphon Press |
| 2001 | Cathy Fenner | Spectrum 7: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art |
| 2001 | Arnie Fenner | Spectrum 7: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art |
| 2002 | Jo Fletcher* | editing the Fantasy Masterworks series |
| 2002 | Stephen Jones* | editing |
| 2002 | Ellen Datlow | editing |
| 2002 | Douglas E. Winter | Clive Barker: The Dark Fantastic |
| 2002 | Randy Broecker | Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History |
| 2003 | Gordon Van Gelder* | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2003 | Paul Barnett | Paper Tiger art books |
| 2003 | Ellen Datlow | editing |
| 2003 | William K. Schafer | Subterranean Press |
| 2003 | Gary Turner | Golden Gryphon Press |
| 2003 | Marty Halpern | Golden Gryphon Press |
| 2003 | Terri Windling | editing |
| 2004 | Peter Crowther* | PS Publishing |
| 2004 | John Howe | artwork in The Lord of the Rings |
| 2004 | Alan Lee | artwork in The Lord of the Rings |
| 2004 | Kelly Link | Small Beer Press |
| 2004 | Gavin Grant | Small Beer Press |
| 2004 | Sharyn November | Firebird Books |
| 2004 | David Pringle | Interzone and services to the field |
| 2004 | Sean Wallace | Prime Books |
| 2005 | S. T. Joshi* | scholarship |
| 2005 | Kelly Link | Small Beer Press |
| 2005 | Gavin Grant | Small Beer Press |
| 2005 | Sharyn November | editing |
| 2005 | Gordon Van Gelder | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2005 | Terri Windling | editing |
| 2006 | Sean Wallace* | Prime Books |
| 2006 | Susan Allison | Ace Books |
| 2006 | Ginjer Buchanan | Ace Books |
| 2006 | Lou Anders | editing at Pyr |
| 2006 | S. T. Joshi | Supernatural Literature of the World: An Encyclopedia |
| 2006 | Stefan Dziemanowicz | Supernatural Literature of the World: An Encyclopedia |
| 2006 | Peter Lavery | Pan MacMillan UK and Tor UK |
| 2006 | Chris Roberson | MonkeyBrain Books |
| 2006 | Allison Baker | MonkeyBrain Books |
| 2007 | Ellen Asher* | work at Science Fiction Book Club |
| 2007 | Mark Finn | Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard |
| 2007 | Deanna Hoak | copyediting |
| 2007 | Greg Ketter | DreamHaven Books |
| 2007 | Leonard S. Marcus | The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy |
| 2008 | Peter Crowther* | PS Publishing |
| 2008 | Chris Roberson | MonkeyBrain Books |
| 2008 | Allison Baker | MonkeyBrain Books |
| 2008 | Alan Beatts | Borderlands Books |
| 2008 | Jude Feldman | Borderlands Books |
| 2008 | Jeremy Lassen | Night Shade Books |
| 2008 | Jason Williams | Night Shade Books |
| 2008 | Shawna McCarthy | Realms of Fantasy |
| 2008 | Gordon Van Gelder | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2009 | Kelly Link* | Small Beer Press and Big Mouth House |
| 2009 | Gavin Grant* | Small Beer Press and Big Mouth House |
| 2009 | Farah Mendlesohn | Rhetorics of Fantasy |
| 2009 | Stephen H. Segal | Weird Tales |
| 2009 | Ann VanderMeer | Weird Tales |
| 2009 | Jerad Walters | A Lovecraft Retrospective: Artists Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft |
| 2009 | Jacob Weisman | Tachyon Publications |
| 2010 | Jonathan Strahan* | editing anthologies |
| 2010 | Peter Crowther | PS Publishing |
| 2010 | Nicky Crowther | PS Publishing |
| 2010 | Ellen Datlow | editing anthologies |
| 2010 | Hayao Miyazaki | Ponyo |
| 2010 | Barbara Roden | Ash-Tree Press |
| 2010 | Christopher Roden | Ash-Tree Press |
| 2010 | Jacob Weisman | Tachyon Publications |
| 2010 | Rina Weisman | Tachyon Publications |
| 2011 | Marc Gascoigne* | Angry Robot |
| 2011 | John Joseph Adams | editing and anthologies |
| 2011 | Lou Anders | editing at Pyr |
| 2011 | Stéphane Marsan | Bragelonne |
| 2011 | Alain Névant | Bragelonne |
| 2011 | Brett Alexander Savory | ChiZine Publications |
| 2011 | Sandra Kasturi | ChiZine Publications |
| 2012 | Eric Lane* | publishing in translation – Dedalus Books |
| 2012 | Jo Fletcher | editing – Jo Fletcher Books |
| 2012 | John Joseph Adams | editing – anthology and magazine |
| 2012 | Brett Alexander Savory | ChiZine Publications |
| 2012 | Sandra Kasturi | ChiZine Publications |
| 2012 | Jeff VanderMeer | The Steampunk Bible |
| 2012 | S. J. Chambers | The Steampunk Bible |
| 2013 | Lucia Graves* | the translation of The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón |
| 2013 | Brett Alexander Savory | ChiZine Publications |
| 2013 | Sandra Kasturi | ChiZine Publications |
| 2013 | Peter Crowther | PS Publishing |
| 2013 | Nicky Crowther | PS Publishing |
| 2013 | William K. Schafer | Subterranean Press |
| 2013 | Adam Mills | Weird Fiction Review |
| 2013 | Ann VanderMeer | Weird Fiction Review |
| 2013 | Jeff VanderMeer | Weird Fiction Review |
| 2014 | Irene Gallo* | art direction of Tor.com |
| 2014 | William K. Schafer* | Subterranean Press |
| 2014 | John Joseph Adams | magazine and anthology editing |
| 2014 | Ginjer Buchanan | editing at Ace Books |
| 2014 | Jeff VanderMeer | Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction |
| 2014 | Jeremy Zerfoss | Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction |
| 2014 | Jerad Walters | Centipede Press |
| 2015 | Sandra Kasturi* | ChiZine Publications |
| 2015 | Brett Alexander Savory* | ChiZine Publications |
| 2015 | John Joseph Adams | editing anthologies and Nightmare and Fantasy magazines |
| 2015 | Jeanne Cavelos | Odyssey Writing workshops |
| 2015 | Gordon Van Gelder | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2015 | Jerad Walters | Centipede Press |
| 2016 | Stephen Jones* | The Art of Horror |
| 2016 | Joe Monti | contributions to the genre |
| 2016 | Heather J. Wood | Gods, Memes and Monsters: A 21st Century Bestiary |
| 2016 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman: Overture |
| 2016 | Dave Stewart | The Sandman: Overture |
| 2016 | J. H. Williams III | The Sandman: Overture |
| 2016 | Robert Jordan | The Wheel of Time Companion |
| 2016 | Harriet McDougal | The Wheel of Time Companion |
| 2016 | Alan Romanczuk | The Wheel of Time Companion |
| 2016 | Maria Simons | The Wheel of Time Companion |
| 2017 | Michael Levy* | Children's Fantasy Literature: An Introduction |
| 2017 | Farah Mendlesohn* | Children's Fantasy Literature: An Introduction |
| 2017 | L. Timmel Duchamp | Aqueduct Press |
| 2017 | Charles Coleman Finlay | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2017 | Kelly Link | contributions to the genre |
| 2017 | Joe Monti | contributions to the genre |
| 2018 | Harry Brockway* | Writing Madness |
| 2018 | Patrick McGrath* | Writing Madness |
| 2018 | Danel Olson* | Writing Madness |
| 2018 | Charles Coleman Finlay | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2018 | Irene Gallo | Art Direction at Tor Books and Tor.com |
| 2018 | Greg Ketter | DreamHaven Books |
| 2018 | Leslie S. Klinger | The New Annotated Frankenstein |
| 2019 | Huw Lewis-Jones* | The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands |
| 2019 | Molly Barton | Serial Box |
| 2019 | Jeff Li | Serial Box |
| 2019 | James Stuart | Serial Box |
| 2019 | Julian Yap | Serial Box |
| 2019 | Charles Coleman Finlay | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2019 | Irene Gallo | Art Direction at Tor Books and Tor.com |
| 2019 | Catherine McIlwaine | Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibition |
| 2020 | Ebony Elizabeth Thomas* | The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games (New York University Press) |
| 2020 | Charles Coleman Finlay | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2020 | Leslie S. Klinger | The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft: Beyond Arkham (Liveright) |
| 2020 | Ellen Oh | We Need Diverse Books |
| 2020 | Sheree Thomas | Contributions to the genre |
| 2021 | Charles Coleman Finlay* | The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2021 | Clive Bloom | The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Gothic (Palgrave Macmillan) |
| 2021 | Jo Fletcher | Jo Fletcher Books |
| 2021 | Maria Dahvana Headley | Beowulf: A New Translation (MCD x FSG Originals US/Scribe UK) |
| 2021 | Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock | The Monster Theory Reader (University of Minnesota Press) |
| 2022 | Marjorie Liu* | Monstress Volume Six: The Vow (Image Comics) |
| 2022 | Sana Takeda* | Monstress Volume Six: The Vow (Image Comics) |
| 2022 | Charlie Jane Anders | Never Say You Can't Survive (Tor.com Publishing) |
| 2022 | Cam Collins | Old Gods of Appalachia (podcast) |
| 2022 | Steve Shell | Old Gods of Appalachia (podcast) |
| 2022 | Irene Gallo | Tor.com |
| 2022 | William K. Schafer | Subterranean Press |
| 2022 | Sheree Thomas | editing The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| 2023 | Matt Ottley* | The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness (Dirt Lane Press) |
| 2023 | Irene Gallo | Tor.com |
| 2023 | Kelly Link | Small Beer Press |
| 2023 | Gavin Grant | Small Beer Press |
| 2023 | Tim Lebbon | Without Walls (PS Publishing) |
| 2023 | Daniele Serra | Without Walls (PS Publishing) |
| 2023 | Fiona Moore | Management Lessons from Game of Thrones: Organization Theory and Strategy in Westeros (Edward Elgar Publishing) |
| 2024 | Liza Groen Trombi* | Locus |
| 2024 | Bill Campbell | Rosarium Books |
| 2024 | E. M. Carroll | A Guest in the House (First Second Books) |
| 2024 | M. John Harrison | Wish I Was Here: An Anti-Memoir (Serpent's Tail) |
| 2024 | Stephen Jones | The Weird Tales Boys (PS Publishing) |