The first Grand Master,
Robert Heinlein, was named in 1975. The Grand Master Award was originally limited to six recipients per decade; six were presented in the ten years to 1984 and twelve in the twenty years to 1994. From 1995, the award has been conferred annually, with the exception of 2002 and 2011.
Andre Norton was the first woman to receive the award, in 1984. As of 2025,
N.K. Jemisin is the youngest person to have received the award; she was aged 53. From 1995 to 2010, SFWA also awarded the title of
Author Emeritus "as a way to recognize and appreciate senior writers in the genres of science fiction and fantasy who have made significant contributions to our field but who are no longer active or whose excellent work may no longer be as widely known as it once was." Recipients were invited to speak at the annual Nebula Awards banquet. Fourteen honorees were named in the sixteen years the award was given. As of 2024, there has been no overlap between Grand Masters and Authors Emeritus. The award's status as a consolation prize was a matter of controversy. ==Grand Masters==