Book Awards for Self-Published Authors
These awards were selected based on their acceptance of self-published books. Including them here should not be taken as an endorsement of the competition or its sponsors. The list is supplied as information for authors and self-publishers interested in pursuing awards and citations as a means to their own publishing goals.
Please submit corrections or feedback on any competition to marin.bookworks (at) gmail.com or leave them as comments on the announcement post. What has your experience been with awards and contests?
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award
https://www.createspace.com/abna?ref=478921&utm_id=5969
This contest is a chance for authors of unpublished or self-published novels to win one of two $15,000 publishing contracts with Penguin USA and distribution of that novel on Amazon.com.
Sponsored by
Amazon, Createspace, Penguin Group, Publishers Weekly
Entry fee
There is no entry fee for this contest.
Submission deadline
Novel must be received between January 23, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) and February 5, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time)
Axiom Business Book Awards
Authors and publishers throughout North America and overseas publishers who publish English-language business books intended for the American market may enter. Print-On-Demand and other independent authors are welcome to enter their books themselves. Books that are published with a 2011-2013 copyright or that were released between June 2011 and January 2013 are eligible. Publishers are to select the category or categories in which the book(s) should be judged.
Sponsored by
Jenkins Group Inc.
Entry fee
Early-bird entry #1 – May 25, 2012 – August 18, 2012 – $75 per title, per category
Early-bird entry #2 – August 19, 2012 – November 17, 2012 – $85 per title, per category
Regular entry – November 18, 2012 – January 12, 2013 – $95 per title, per category
Submission deadline
January 12, 2013
Beverly Hills Book Awards
http://www.beverlyhillsbookawards.com/index.html
All English language, fiction and nonfiction, print books published from 2008 to 2013 available for sale in the United States are eligible for the Beverly Hills Book Awards. Cover and interior design, promotional text, aesthetic components and more are considerations in this contest.
Sponsored by
Ellen Reid’s Book Shepherding, a division of Smarketing LLC
Entry fee
$75 US per category for each book
Submission deadline
January 31, 2013
eLit Book Awards
http://www.elitawards.com/
Publishers and authors worldwide creating electronic books written in English and created for the global marketplace are eligible for entry in 59 different e-Lit categories listed below. Titles published with a 2011 or 2012 copyright or that were released between January 1, 2011 and January 31, 2013.
Sponsored by
Jenkins Group Inc.
Entry fee
Early Bird #1 entry- Now through August 31st, 2012 – $60 per title, per category
Early Bird #2 entry- September 1st through November 30th, 2012 – $70 per title, per category
Regular entry – December 1st through January 31, 2013 – $80 per title, per category
Submission deadline
January 31st, 2013
Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Awards
http://www.forewordreviews.com/services/book-awards/botya/
For books published in 2012. Winners are selected by a panel of librarians and book sellers. There are 62 book categories, and 3 winners per category.
Sponsored by
Foreword Reviews
Entry fee
$99 per entry purchased through Foreword Connections
Submission deadline
Currently accepting entries. Deadline is January 15, 2013
Global eBook Awards
http://globalebookawards.com/
The Global eBook Awards are open to submissions by authors, publishers, illustrators and photographers, self-published or traditionally published, regardless of company size, of English language ebooks from any country, which fit into one of the listed categories,. eBooks must be copyrighted or released (offered on a website) to the public anytime in 2011, 2012, or 2013. Revised editions, with a more recent release date, are eligible.
Sponsored by
Dan Poynter
Entry fee
$79 USD each.
Submission deadline
April 30, 2013 (midnight Pacific Time)
Green Book Festival
http://www.greenbookfestival.com/
The Green Book Festival considers published, self-published and independent publisher works that contribute to greater understanding, respect for and positive action on the changing worldwide environment in categories of non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics/graphic novels, poetry, science fiction/horror, biography/autobiography, gardening, cookbooks, animals, photography/art, e-books, wild card (anything goes!), scientific, white paper, legal, business, mystery and spiritual. Entries can be in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese or Italian. Books published on or after January 1, 2007 are eligible for the competition.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry
fee
$50
Submission deadline
April 25, 2013
IACP Cookbook Awards
http://www.iacp.com/award/more/cookbook
Any new, original book on food or beverages copyrighted in 2011 and published for the first time between November 1, 2011 and November 15, 2012 in English is eligible for consideration in the 2013 awards program. Please refer to the Eligibility section of the Submission Guidelines for more information.
Sponsored by
International Association of Culinary Professionals
Entry fee
A fee of US$175.00 is charged per entry in each category. Payment in full must accompany each category entry.
Submission deadline
November 15, 2012
IndieReader Discovery Awards
http://indiereader.com/the-indiereader-discovery-awards-welcome/
The IRDA is open to all self-published books with a valid ISBN. There is no restriction on publication dates and both ebooks and print books can be submitted.
Sponsored by
Kirkus Indie
Entry fee
The IRDA entry fee is $150 per title per category. There is a $50 fee for each additional category entered.
Submission deadline
Entries will be accepted from April 15th, 2012 through March 15th, 2013.
International Book Awards
http://www.internationalbookawards.com/home.html
Open to all 2011-2013 books, published in the English language with an ISBN and currently available for sale online to global consumers.
Sponsored by
JPX Media Group
Entry fee
Early Bird Entry Special! $49.00 per title/per category! Expires September 30, 2012
$69 per title/per category
Submission deadline
April 30, 2013
IPPY Awards
http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/ipawards.php
Open to independent authors and publishers worldwide for books written in English published with a 2012 or 2013 copyrights or released between Aug 1, 2011 and March 15, 2013 are eligible. There are 75 categories for national entries and for books with regional focus, gold, silver and bronze medals awarded for best fiction and best non-fiction books in eight U.S. regions, two Canadian regions, and the region of Australia/New Zealand.
Sponsored by
Jenkins Group
Entry fee
National Entries ( July 10 through October 13, 2012) $75
(October 14, 2012 through Jan. 12, 2013) $85
(January 13 through March 16, 2013) $95
Regional Entry ( per title, per category) $55
E-Book Entry ( per title, per category) $55
Regional or E-Book Entry Only (Same as national rates, $75-$95)
Submission deadline
March 16th, 2013
London Book Festival
http://londonbookfestival.com/portal/
The 2011 London Book Festival will consider published, self-published and independent publisher non-fiction, poetry, photography/art, fiction, children’s books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics, e-books, wild card (anything goes!), science fiction, romance and biography/autobiography works.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
$50
Submission deadline
November 25, 2012
National Indie Excellence Book Awards
http://www.indieexcellence.com/
Eligible books can be published anywhere in the world in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 but must be in printed in English and available for purchase in the United States from either online or physical bookstores.
Sponsored by
Smarketing LLC, Ellen Reid CEO, and President
Entry fee
$69.00 USD per entry/per Category
Submission deadline
April 2, 2013
Nautilus Book Awards
http://www.nautilusbookawards.com/
The Nautilus Awards is for books that “promote spiritual growth, conscious living and positive social change.” English language printed books with ISBN numbers, copyrighted or published in 2011 and 2012, are eligible for the 2013 Nautilus Awards.
Sponsored by
Marilyn McGuire & Associates, Inc.
Entry fee
PRE-ENTRY DISCOUNT (Ends Sept. 20th): $ 155 per title ea category: September 6th – September 20th
$ 135 for same title in subsequent categories
Submission deadline
January 31, 2013
New England Book Festival
http://www.newenglandbookfestival.com/index.html
The New England Book Festival will consider non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, young adult, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, photography/art, poetry, gay and compilations/anthologies. All entries must be in English. Books published on or after Jan. 1, 2009 are eligible for the competition. The New England Book Festival will also award the Author of the Year, Book Design of the Year, and Publisher of the Year- chosen from the submissions.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
$50
Submission deadline
November 25, 2012
New York Book Festival
http://www.newyorkbookfestival.com/
The Festival will consider published, self-published and independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics/’zines, e-books, poetry, wild card (anything goes!), unpublished stories, science fiction, horror, photography/art, romance and biography/autobiography works. Entries can be in English, Spanish, French or Italian and must be published on or after January 1, 2009. Our grand prize for the 2013 New York Book Festival Author of the Year is $1,500 and a flight to New York for the awards.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
$50
Submission deadline
May 25, 2013
Next Generation Indie Book Awards
http://www.indiebookawards.com/
This competition, the largest not-for-profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors based in the U.S., Canada or internationally, has 60 entry categories for English language books that are available for sale online and off with a copyright date in 2012 or 2013.
Sponsored by
Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group
Entry fee
The entry fee is $75 per title for the first category entered and $50 for each additional category entered.
Submission deadline
February 22, 2013
Paris Book Festival
http://www.parisbookfestival.com/
The 2012 Paris Book Festival will consider entries in general non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, cookbooks, compilations/anthologies; e-books; genre-based, how-to, photography/art, spiritual, music, teenage/young adult, unpublished stories and the wild card (anything goes!) categories published on or after Jan. 1, 2008. Entries can be in French, English, Spanish, German or Portuguese and can be published, self-published or issued by an independent publishing house.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
$50
Submission deadline
April 25, 2013
Publishing Innovation Awards
http://www.publishinginnovationawards.com/
There are 14 categories covering ebooks (in ePub and Kindle formats), enhanced ebooks (in ePub and Kindle formats), apps, self-published ebooks (in ePub and Kindle formats), digital first ebooks (in ePub and Kindle formats), and transmedia projects.
Sponsored by
Constellation – Digital Power for Independent Publishers
Entry fee
Entry fee is $199 to submit a title to a single category.
Submission deadline
November 15, 2012
Reader Views Literary Awards
http://www.readerviews.com/Awards.html
This award recognizes writers of English language books for a North American reading audience who either self-published or used a subsidy publisher, small press, university press, or independent book publisher. Print on demand books are accepted. Books must have 2012 copyright date.
Sponsored by
Reader Views
Entry fee
$60 – $95 per title (for the initial category) depending on when submission is made and whether the submission includes an Express Review. $20.00 for each additional category or regional/global entry.
Submission deadline
December 15, 2012
Readers Favorite Contest
http://readersfavorite.com/annual-book-award-contest.htm
All English eBooks, Audio Books, Manuscripts, and Published or Unpublished Novels that fall into one of the 50+ Genre Categories are eligible for this contest. Books receive a Readers Favorite review and books with reviews that are rated as 3 star or greater are posted on the Readers Favorite site and Amazon.
Sponsored by
ReadersFavorite
Entry fee
The first category is $89. Each additional category is $65. (Additional categories are only $45 during our Early Bird Registration period.)
Submission deadline
May 1, 2013
San Francisco Book Festival
http://www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com/
Eligible categories include non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, compilations/anthologies, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, history, wild card, gay, photography/art, poetry, unpublished, travel and spiritual works. There is no date of publication deadline.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate $50 fee for each book.
Submission deadline
April 25, 2013
The Beach Book Festival
http://www.beachbookfestival.com/
The Beach Book Festival will consider self-published or independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, teenage, how-to, science fiction, romance, comics, poetry, spiritual, compilations/anthologies, history, business and health-oriented books published on or after Jan. 1, 2008.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
$50
Submission deadline
May 25, 2013
The Ben Franklin Awards
http://ibpabenjaminfranklinawards.com/
This award is considered one of the highest national honours in small and independent publishing. There are 56 submission categories judged by over 160 individuals associated with publishing – library, bookstore, reviewer, designer, publicity and editorial industry segments.
Sponsored by
IBPA – Independent Book Publishers Association
Entry fee
IBPA memBer: $90 per title, per category
Non-IBPA member: $190 for first title, which includes one year’s membership in IBPA; $90 per title, per category for second and subsequent entries.
Submission deadline
FIRST CALL – SEPTEMBER 30, 2012
For titles published January 1 – August 31, 2012
SECOND CALL – DECEMBER 31, 2012
Primarily for titles published September 1 – December 31, 2012
All titles carrying a 2012 copyright date will be accepted in the second round of entries
The Eric Hoffer Award
http://www.hofferaward.com/
This award for short prose and honors the memory of Eric Hoffer, a great American philosopher, by highlighting salient writing and small publishers.There are 2 grand prizes awarded annually – one for short prose (i.e. fiction and creative nonfiction) and one for independent books from small, micro, academic presses, and self-published books, and various other honors and distinctions including the Montaigne Medal and the da Vinci Eye.
Sponsored by
Hopewell Publications
Entry fee
Submissions are accepted each year by nominating books and prose. * Nomination Fee Only $50
Submission deadline
January 21st for books
March 31st for prose
The Hollywood Book Festival
http://www.hollywoodbookfestival.com/next.htm
All published, self-published and independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, ‘zines, comics, e-books, fan fiction, wild card (anything goes!), unpublished stories, genre-based and biography/autobiography works written in English are considered and judged on the story-telling ability of the author and the potential of the work to be translated into other forms of media. Submissions will also be judged for Hollywood Book Festival Author of the Year, Hollywood Book Festival Design of the Year and Hollywood Book Festival Publisher of the Year Honors.
Sponsored by
JM Northern Media LLC
Entry fee
Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate $75 fee for each book.
Submission deadline
June 25, 2013
The Living Now Book Awards
http://www.livingnowawards.com/index.php
Authors and publishers throughout North America and overseas publishers who publish
English-language books intended for the American market may enter. Books with 2010-
2012 copyright, or that are released between August 2010 and July 2012 are eligible.
Sponsored by
Jenkins Group Inc.
Entry fee
Early-bird entry fee is $75 per title, per category, with fees increasing twice, to $85 and then $95 until the final deadline. Enter one book in one category for a single entry fee;
enter one book in two categories, pay two entry fees. (Sorry, no discount
Submission deadline
July 14, 2012
The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
http://www.moonbeamawards.com/
The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards contest is open to authors, illustrators, and publishers of children’s books written in English or Spanish and intended for the North American market. All 2010 and 2011 copyrights and releases are eligible.
Sponsored by
Jenkins Group Inc.
Entry fee
2011 Entry fees:
$75 per book, per category – until March 31, 2012
$85 per book, per category – April 1, 2012 through June 30, 2012
$95 per book, per category – July 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012
Submission deadline
August 31, 2012
Shelf Unbound Writing Competition for Best Self-Published Book
http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/pages/competition.html
Any self-published book in any genre is eligible for entry.
Sponsored by
Shelf Media Group
Entry fee
$10.00 per book
Submission deadline
Midnight on October 1, 2012. The winners will be notified by October 15, 2012.
USA “Best Books” Awards
http://www.usabooknews.com/bestbooks2012awards.html
All books including e-books and audiobooks that have an ISBN number and a publication date of 2010 – 2012 are eligible for this competition which features 130 active categories including categories for first time author and design.
Sponsored by
USA Book News/JPX Media
Entry fee
$69.00 per title/per category
Submission deadline
September 30, 2012
Writers Digest Self Published Book Awards
http://www.writersdigest.com/selfpublished
Self-published English language books which fall into one of the nine submission categories and have been published, or revised and reprinted between 2007 and 2012, are eligible for this competition. It is also a requirement that the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or that the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize.
Sponsored by
Writer’s Digest and co-sponsor Book Marketing Works, LLC
Entry fee
First entry: $100
Additional entries: $75 each
Submission deadline
June 15, 2012
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