Induction into the PWA HOF

---

The process of qualifying for induction into the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame is directed by a process that strives to be objective in nature. To qualify for induction into the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame, a candidate must have accomplished the following:

1) The candidate must have received credit as the author or coauthor of at least four published literary works of which professional wrestling is the primary focus.

2) The candidate’s applicable works must fall into at least one of the following categories: Biographies and autobiographies of prominent contributors to the professional wrestling genre; histories of professional wrestling territories, promotions or organizations; or historical critiques of professional wrestlers, organizations, promoters, or other contributors. Books pertaining to mixed martial arts or amateur wrestling can be considered as long as the content substantially and meaningly overlaps with professional wrestling in a way that furthers the historical understanding of the pro wrestling genre. All relevant works should enable readers to further their knowledge and understanding of professional wrestling history, or to view professional wrestling and its history through different informed perspectives.

Published works that will not be factored into the candidacy of a nominee are works that are primarily collections of photos or match results, compilations of subjective match reviews without substantial historical framing, reprinted or repackaged materials that were first published in a magazine, newsletter, website, or similar publication, or literary works for which the nominee only contributed a foreword, afterword, or its equivalent. In addition, re-releases or subsequent additions of prior published works do not count as additional works for purposes of tabulation.

3) Each of the candidate’s qualifying works should be at least 70,000 words in length. A good benchmark for this figure is a book that is around 180 pages in length.

4) If the candidate meets the minimum criteria established under sections 1 and 2, but falls slightly short of the requisite mark established in section 3, the clear historical significance of the candidate’s literary contributions can also be taken into consideration, along with a history of contributing to literary works published about or with professional wrestling luminaries of undeniable stature, or a history of assisting other professional wrestling authors with their book projects. References to the candidate’s literary materials by mainstream media outlets and wrestling news outlets, and high regard among wrestling historians as to the value of the author’s works may also factor into the assessment of its quality.

Admission to the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame is managed on a rolling basis. If you have reviewed the requirements of candidacy and believe an author’s body of work qualifies them for admission, feel free to send an email providing the author’s name and a list of at least four of their qualifying books, along with the page count or word count of each book on the list, and a brief explanation as to the historical relevance of the author’s works as it pertains to the history of professional wrestling. Please note that the petition for admission will only be considered if the proposed author has four literary works that clearly qualify under the previously addressed criteria.

An author's other activities in service of professional wrestling, like writing for magazines, websites, or other types of publications, or hosting radio programs and podcasts — impressive though they may be — will not be considered in lieu of that author meeting the minimum qualifying standards for induction, including the requirement of four published books.

All inductees into the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame will receive a special listing on the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame website, along with the right to refer to themselves as PWAHOF members at all relevant times, including during the promotion of present and future books.