Publetariat Editor’s Note: Publetariat is not affiliated in any way with the awards or competitions mentioned in this article, offers no specific opinion on any of them, and receives no compensation for their mention on this site.
Deadlines are coming up soon for several book award competitions.
Winners of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award will receive a publishing contract with Penguin Books. Entries are accepted from January 23 through February 5, 2012, and it’s best to enter as early as possible. Unpublished manuscripts and self-published books are accepted.
If you published a book during 2011, consider entering one or more book awards programs to generate recognition and publicity for your book. There are a number of these competitions, and the entry fees can really add up, so you’ll want to be selective. Here are deadlines for several popular award programs:
The Ben Franklin Awards, sponsored by IBPA, is considered by many to be the most prestigious award for independent publishers. The deadline for entries has been extended to January 15, 2012.
ForeWord Book Awards – $1,500 cash prize, sponsored by ForeWord, a book review publication (January 15)
Nautilus Book Awards – for nonfiction books (January 31)
Next Generation Indie Book Awards (February 24)
IPPY Awards (March 15)
National Indie Excellence Book Awards (April 15)
Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards – $3,000 cash prize (April 20)
There are also award competitions geared toward specific types of books. See this list for ideas. Be sure to read the eligiblity and submission instructions carefully when entering.
This is a reprint from Dana Lynn Smith‘s The Savvy Book Marketer.