Authors, publishers, and translators from around the world can submit their work to one of nine categories — Literature, Translation, Contribution to the Development of Nations, Arabic Culture in Other Languages, Children’s Literature, Literary and Art Criticism, Young Author, Publishing and Technology, and Cultural Personality of the Year.

The SZBA is organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

Last year's edition saw Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina winning the Publishing & Technology Award. 

In October, the award completes its first phase of evaluations of the submissions and then announces its longlist in November.

The second phase of evaluations then takes place from November to January, followed by a third phase of evaluations that is held in February before the shortlist is announced in March.

Finally, a fourth phase of evaluations is held between March and April before the winner is announced in the same month.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has 8 prizes, each consisting of a gold medal bearing the Sheikh Zayed Book Award logo, a certificate of merit, and a cash reward, comprising a total prize value of AED 7 million (US $1.9m) annually.

The Cultural Personality of the Year receives a prize of AED 1 million, while the winners of the other categories receive AED 750,000 each.