WOWSA … several annual Book Awards have deadlines NOW …
Why should you bother … let me count the ways. Book Awards get the attention of readers, librarians, book stores … and yes, the media. Post it on your website, your social media connections—with a link to where it can be bought. It’s shout-out time.
And, when you get one, you should create a press release and let the world – or at least your local area know about you and your book. After all … you are a star!
- Which book awards do authors enter?
- Do they matter?
- Should you care?
Let’s start with the second question first. Do they matter? The answer: sometimes. Depending upon the tenacity of the author/publisher in getting the word out about the book and the award, you could be wasting your money. Awards can be used to market your book, but it doesn’t happen by itself. You will be the primary promoter. Always.
Some of the more established awards—Parents Choice, Moonbeam, USA Book News, Global eBook Awards, ForeWord’s IndieFab, Ben Franklin, IPPY, Indie Excellence and the Center for the Book (put your state name in front on Center for the Book to find contact)—send out professional press releases. Lots of them. Some actively promote the winners on their websites and events. When I won the Colorado Center for the Book in the non-fiction category, the Tattered Cover Bookstore attended with a display of all the winners and sold books—lots of them … and continued to promote them actively throughout the year. However, other awards just take your money and only notify you if you are a finalist or winner. Little else is done.
Note: USA Book News, ForeWord’s Indiefab, Indie Excellence, IPPY, Moonbeam, Global eBook, Parents Choice and the Center for the Book do not require membership to enter their competitions. That’s where AuthorU believes the line should be drawn—awards can be big money for the promoter. With that money, there should be some media promotion for the winners and there should be a specific website that cares all the winners’ names and their books.
Back to the first question. If you are active in a publishing or authoring organization, consider entering. But if you have to pay a fee to be a member and then another one to enter the competition, take a pass. Your marketing (and these are marketing) dollars are best spent elsewhere.
The Book Awards business is a revenue business . . . for the promoter. Before you put your moneys out, make sure you do your homework. Why are you entering? If you win, what will you do to promote your status? Does the group support its winners with media coverage? Last but not least, Google the group—are there any complaints, problems or accusations of scams? If so, find another group. Make your time, your book, and your dollars work for you.
Is a book award in your midst? You will only know if you enter.
Can book awards make a difference? Yes, if they are the right ones—
That deals with the second and third questions. Below are a few recommended by AuthorU and The Book Shepherd that receive ongoing national attention and are worth investing some of your marketing/promotional dollars for submissions. Some give stickers; some give cash prizes; all do national media releases/promotion with winners and finalists and have national recognition. None require that you become a “member.” Deadlines and entry fees for submissions are varied. Submissions and guidelines will give you the details on each site included—deadlines could mean books need to be in hand or merely postmarked. Read their rules–their are HOT links in both the name of the award and “here” that will take you to Submissions and Guidelines for each. SOME HAVE PENDING DEADLINES
Note: Not all Awards are a fit for your book or category. Good luck!
Independent Publisher Book Awards
Enter by December 12, 2015 to pay just $85 per category!
The “IPPY” Awards were conceived as a broad-based, unaffiliated awards program open to all members of the independent publishing industry and are open to authors and publishers worldwide who produce books written in English and intended for the North American market. “Independent” is defined as 1) independently owned and operated; 2) operated by a foundation or university; or 3) long-time independents that became incorporated but operate autonomously and publish fewer than 50 titles a year.
Independent Publisher Book Awards submission guidelines here
Foreword Book of the Year and IndieFab Awards
Every year, ForeWord looks back to the best books of the previous year. The ForeWord Book of the Year competition provides publishers with a valuable opportunity to breathe new life into the promotion of a distinguished title. These fiercely contested awards are viewed by librarians and booksellers as an important statement about a title they might have overlooked. For fourteen years, savvy publishers have used the gold, silver, and bronze awards as additional marketing material as their titles drift toward the backlist. Foreword magazine is dedicated to the independent author and publisher.
Foreword Indiebab and Book of the Year Awards. Entry fee is $99. Submission guidelines here
USA Book News Awards and International Book Awards
Open to all books, e-books, and audio books with an ISBN and published in 2014 (galley copies welcome). 2014 through 2016 titles are eligible.You must have an ISBN and galley copies can be submitted. It covers books from all sections of the publishing industry with over 100 categories—mainstream, independent, and self-published. Winners will be promoted to the entertainment industry. USA Book News Awards Guidelines here: http://www.internationalbookawards.com/2016callforentries.html
Final entries by December 15, 2015
Named in honor of America’s most cherished publisher/printer, the Benjamin Franklin Awards™ recognizes excellence in independent publishing—sponsored by IBPA—Independent Book Publishers Association (AuthorU is an Member Affiliate of IBPA). Publications, grouped by genre, are judged on editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field.
Awards to the best books in several categories and are presented to the publishers during a gala awards ceremony on the last evening of the Publishing University (just before the opening of Book Expo America).
All entrants receive critique sheets with advice on how to improve their publications, as well as words of appreciation for the good work produced. Note–only submit for copyright year of 2015.
Ben Franklin Book Awards submission guidelines here
National Indie Excellence Awards
NIEA celebrates overall excellence for seven years, including design and promotional text, so that discerning readers know an NIEA winner or finalist is something special. What’s more, award announcements receive extensive media coverage you can leverage to your sales advantage. The Indie Excellence Awards cover multiple years, extending back to 2013 through 2016. Entry is $75 per category. National Indie Excellence Awards submission guidelines here
The Beverly Hills Book Awards
BHBA is a unique contest that celebrates excellence in presentation. All aspects of the book are considered: the cover and interior design, promotional text, aesthetic components, and other factors that demonstrate outstanding presentation. Accepts fiction and non-fiction books in a wide range of topics and categories, including mystery, romance, business, self-help, memoirs, inspirational, and many others. This is the place to be. Authors with books that could be Hollywood “attention getters,” this could be Print books only from all publishers and authors in English language format available for sale from 2013 through 2016. Winners are announced in March.
Beverly Hills Book Awards guidelines here
Recognizes Books and Audio Books that promote spiritual growth, conscious living, and positive social change, while at the same time stimulating the “imagination” and offering the reader “new possibilities” for a better life and a better world.
They look for distinguished literary and heartfelt contributions to spiritual growth, conscious living, high-level wellness, green values, responsible leadership, and positive social change, as well as to the worlds of art, creativity, and inspirational reading for children, teens, and young adults.
Nautilus Book Awards submission guidelines here
Next Generation Indie Book Awards
A not-for-profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its fifth year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in 60 different categories for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group.
Next Generation Book Awards submission guidelines here
T
he Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading, the awards are given in 38 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles, and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today.
The contest is designed to honor the year’s best children’s books, authors, and illustrators. Open to authors, illustrators, and publishers of children’s books written in English or Spanish and intended for the North American market. Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards submission guidelines here
Parents’ Choice Awards
The nation’s oldest nonprofit program was created to recognize quality children’s media. The Parents’ Choice Awards program honors the best material for children: books, toys, music and storytelling, magazines, software, videogames, television, and websites. Parents’ Choice Foundation’s panels of educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and, yes, kids themselves, identify the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds and of varied skill and interest levels. Parents’ Choice Awards submission guidelines here
Created by Dan Poynter, Global eBook Awards announces that it is now taking submissions for award consideration. The Global eBook Awards are designed to help you achieve these goals. More than a “sticker,” these awards come with a built-in publicity machine. Entries are accepted from both authors and publishers. To be eligible, eBooks must be released on or before March 11, 2013. All entrants in the Global Ebook Awards must have their eBooks in the Smashwords’ system for this contest. If your book is not at Smashwords, email a PDF, epub, or Kindle file to Becky@ParaPublishing.com after you have completed your entry. Global eBook Awards submission guidelines here
Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Whether you’re a professional writer, a part-time freelancer or a self-starting student, here’s your chance to enter the premier self-published competition exclusively for self-published books. Writer’s Digest hosts the 24th annual self-published competition–the Annual Self-Published Book Awards. This self-published competition, co-sponsored by Book Marketing Works, LLC spotlights today’s self-published works and honors self-published authors. Deadline is April 1, 2016. Info and submission guidelines here: http://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/self-published-book-awards
Colorado Book Awards
This annual program celebrates the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers. Awards are presented in at least ten categories, including anthology/collection, biography, children’s, creative nonfiction, fiction, history, nonfiction, pictorial, poetry, and young adult. To be eligible for a Colorado Book Award, a primary contributor to the book must be a Colorado writer, editor, illustrator, or photographer. It doesn’t matter if the book was published by a New Mexico or New York
Entries in the annual Colorado Book Awards must have a copyright date of the previous year. Books published and available in late FALL that have a delayed copyright date are also acceptable–check the guidelines in YOUR STATE.
For Colorado, the submission guidelines and dates are here
NOTE: this is Colorado’s program—your state may have a duplicate program. In 1984, the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress began to establish affiliate centers in the 50 states. Today, there is a State Center for the Book in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These Center for the Book affiliates carry out the national Center’s mission in their local areas; sponsor programs that highlight their area’s literary heritage; and call attention to the importance of books, reading, literacy, and libraries. Many of them have state awards. Google “Center of the Book” for your state and/or go to http://read.gov/cfb/index.html for more information.
Of course, this list is not “complete” … but it’s a start. Good luck.
Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and is the Founder of Author U, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 34 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. Book #34 was published this summer: The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors & Writers. Get your copy.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged, a three day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th. Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at bit.ly/PublishingShow .
Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.
Author U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.
If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen