It's been a long time coming for the man who's won the country's top book award.

Stephen Daisley won the fiction category at last night's Ockham New Zealand Book Awards in Auckland with his second novel, Coming Rain.

He then took the night's top award, the $50,000 Acorn Foundation Literary Prize.

Mr Daisley said he's been writing for 30 years, and failing for about 20 of those, which makes his win that much more special.

"Huge honour. I'm overwhelmed and incredibly humbled and delighted."

Mr Daisley said young writers should take inspiration from their writing heroes.

"The advice I would give anybody who is interested in writing, is go to the people that have done the hard yards, but also never give up and keep reading."

Witi Ihimaera won the general non-fiction category for his memoir Maori Boy, while Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History won the illustrated non-fiction grouping.

It was co-written by Atholl Anderson, Aroha Harris and the late Dame Judith Binney.

David Eggleton took the poetry prize for his collection The Conch Trumpet.