We have been talking about self-publishing for the last few weeks, so I thought you might be interested in reading about this annual contest. The entry fee is high, but if you have a self-published book you think is good, entering this premier self-published competition could help get your book noticed. It is exclusively for self-published books.
Writer’s Digest hosts the 21st annual self-published competition — the Annual Self-Published Book Awards. This self-published competition spotlights today’s self-published works and honors self-published authors.
Early Bird Deadline: April 1, 2013
Wondering what is in it for you?
- A chance to win $3,000 in cash
- Get national exposure for your work
- Catch the attention of prospective editors and publishers
- A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City!
How to enter: register and pay online or download a printable entry form. (Early Bird Entry fees are $100 for the first entry, and $75 for each additional entry.)
Enter your book into one or more of these categories:
- Mainstream/Literary Fiction
- Genre Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age)
- Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs)
- Children’s/Picture books
- Middle-Grade/Young Adult books
- Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books)
- Poetry
One Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- $3,000 cash and a trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City
- A priceless endorsement for their book from the Writer’s Digest Editors–10 copies of their book for submission to major publishing review houses.
- A one-year membership for Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), the largest not-for-profit trade association representing more than 3,000 independent book publishers, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- Guaranteed acceptance in a special sales catalog and national representation through 1,800 salespeople who sell to non-bookstore markets, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- A one-year membership to Author-U, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- A copy of Show Me About Book Publishing and consultation with Book Shepherd Judith Briles (valued at $500), courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- A guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
Nine First-Place Winners will receive:
- $1,000 cash and promotion in Writer’s Digest
- A one-year membership to Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN), courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- A guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- A one-year membership to Book Central Station where you can find lists of suppliers rated by previous clients, provided by Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC.
- An ebook titled Beyond the Bookstore by Brian Jud (with CD).
All Grand Prize and First Place winners will:
- Be featured on the Writer’s Digest website
- Receive a copy of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 4th Edition by Tom and Marilyn Ross.
- $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books
Honorable Mention Winners will receive $50 worth of Writer’s Digest Books and be promoted on www.writersdigest.com.
All other entrants will receive a brief commentary from the judges along with a link to the entrant’s website (only if the URL is accurate) on writersdigest.com.
THE RULES:
1. The competition is open to all English-language self-published books for which the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize.
2. You may register and pay online for faster service.
3. Entrants must send a printed and bound book. Entries will be evaluated on content, writing quality and overall quality of production and appearance. No handwritten books are accepted.
4. All books published or revised and reprinted between 2008 and 2013 are eligible. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.)
5. All books not registered online must be accompanied by an Official Entry Form. Photocopies of the Official Entry Form are acceptable. You may enter more than one book and/or more than one category; however, you must include a separate book, entry form and the additional fee for each entry.
6. We accept check, money order or credit card payment for the required judging fee. The early bird entry fees are $100 for the first entry, $75 for each additional entry must accompany submissions. For books submitted after the April 1 early bird deadline, the fees are $110 for the first entry, $85 for each additional entry. Payment must accompany submissions.
7. All early bird entries must be postmarked no later than April 1, 2013. Entries submitted for the regular deadline must be postmarked by May 1, 2013. All winners will be notified by October 14, 2013. If you wish to receive confirmation that your entry was received before the deadline, we recommend using certified mail or some other tracking method to send your entry.
8. Judges reserve the right to withhold prizes in any category. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
9. Books which have previously won awards from Writers Digest are not eligible.
10. Employees of F+W Media, Inc. and Book Marketing Works, LLC and their immediate families are not eligible. Books published by Abbott Press are not eligible to participate.
11. Writer’s Digest is not responsible for the loss, damage or return of any books submitted to the competition.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under: authors and illustrators, awards, Competition, Contest, Marketing a book, opportunity, Publishing Industry, Self-publishing Tagged: Self-Published Book Awards, Writer's Digest
