The WGA has typed up the timeline for its 78th annual Writers Guild Awards.
The guild said in June that its usual dual ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York will be held on Sunday, March 8 — a week before the Oscars — at the JW Marriott and Edison Ballroom, respectively. Today it revealed dates for nominations, the voting periods and submission deadlines. See the full timeline below.
The statuettes presented by the WGA West and WGA East honor the year’s best in film, TV, new media, news, radio and promotional writing. The top prizes at the 2025 Writers Guild Awards went to Anora, Nickel Boys, Hacks, Shōgun and The Penguin.
Here is the full timeline for the 2026 Writers Guild Awards, followed by the eligibility periods:
Timeline
Monday, September 15:
Submissions open in all categories
Friday, December 5:
Deadline for submissions
Tuesday, January 6
Preliminary Series (Drama, Comedy, New, Limited) and Screenplay (Original and Adapted) online voting begins
Tuesday, January 20
Deadline for Preliminary Series and Screenplay voting
Tuesday, January 27
Screenplay (Original, Adapted, Documentary) and Television, Streaming, News, Radio/Audio, and Promotional Writing Nominations Announced
Friday, January 30
Final Series & Screenplay online voting begins
Thursday, February 12
Beyond Words: Writers Guild Awards-nominated screenwriters panel
Friday, February 13
Deadline for Final Series & Screenplay online voting
February TBA
“And the Nominees Are…” Writers Guild Awards nominees panel
Sunday, March 8:
78thannual Writers Guild Awards
(Los Angeles: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live)
(New York City: Edison Ballroom)
Eligibility Periods
TV & Streaming:
First broadcast or exhibited between January 1 and December 31, 2025
Comedy/Variety:
First broadcast or exhibited between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025
News & TV Documentary categories:
First broadcast or exhibited between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025
Theatrical Screenplay:
Exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles for one week between January 1 and Dec. 31, 2025
Documentary Screenplays
Exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles or New York for one week between January 1 and Dec. 31, 2025
