The 14th Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards
For more than a decade, the Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards has celebrated and rewarded self-published authors for their finest work. This year’s competition is now accepting entries, and authors are invited to enter for the chance to win $3,000 cash and national exposure for their books. There will be more than $15,000 in cash and prizes awarded in all.
Entrants can compete and win in nine categories: Mainstream/Literary Fiction; Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age); Reference (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books, How-to, Travel, etc.); Genre Fiction; Nonfiction; Life Stories (Autobiographies, Biographies, Family Histories, Memoirs); Children’s Picture Books; Middle-Grade/Young Adult Books; and Poetry.
One grand-prize winner receives $3,000 cash, promotion in Writer’s Digest and Publishers Weekly, and marketing advice from self-publishing guru Dan Poynter. Plus, the editors of Writer’s Digest will endorse and submit 10 copies of the Grand Prize-Winning book to major reviewers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, and an excerpt will be printed in Writer’s Digest. In addition, Book Marketing Works, LLC provides a one-year membership in Publishers Marketing Association, a customized Book Market Map™ Directory, guaranteed distribution to bookstores and libraries through Baker & Taylor, six hours of book shepherding from Poynter Book Shepherd Ellen Reid, an all-day PublishingGame.com workshop with Fern Reiss, and a guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review.
Nine First-Place Winners receive $1,000 cash (twice as much as last year) and promotion in Writer’s Digest. In addition, Book Marketing Works, LLC provides a guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review and a copy of Fern Reiss’s book The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days.
All Grand-Prize and First-Place winners also receive book-jacket seals promoting the award-winning status of their book, promotion on the Writer’s Digest Web site, a copy of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 4th Edition by Tom and Marilyn Ross, $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books, and a Notable Award Certificate.
Plus, the competition offers all entrants an exclusive opportunity to promote their self-published books. All authors who submit entries are guaranteed a judge’s commentary and a listing with a link to their book on the Writer’s Digest Web site (provided an accurate URL is written on the Entry Form).
The competition is open to all English-language books (published or revised and reprinted in 2004, 2005 or 2006) 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.
Please click here for more information about the Self-Published Book Awards, including contest guidelines and an official entry form.
The deadline to enter is May 1, 2006.
March 6th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
I have published a book on Volkswagens. Look at my website. And it is so discouraging to see contests etc when my book doesn’t have a chance. These awards, book reviewers etc only deal with the same old story books or self help books of some kind. Write a book about a car and they don’t even want to know you. They think you belong in an automotive store only. I am so so discusted with all the time I spent.
No Reply needed.
March 6th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Not exactly a comment, rather a math lesson.
It’s true that a certain amount of prestige attaches when you win out over this many entrants, but.
Last year they had something over 1,700 entries, at $100 each.
That is $170,000 in entry fees. They can well afford to pay out $15,000 in prizes.
March 6th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
I am waiting for copies of my to-be-released book entitled Butterflies & Magical Wings and am VERY excited to see how my book is accepted.
The story is tender and full of valuable life lessons. The illustrations were done by an award-winning fine artist. I am hopeful there will be an award that will recognize the varied values of this book!
March 7th, 2006 at 7:13 am
Whatever the math, self-published authors can use all the help they can get, and this competition is a welcome opportunity to be noticed in the book world.
March 7th, 2006 at 10:17 am
This type of contest is needed as more authors chose self publishing because of the hoops required to mainstream. I commend Writer’s Digest for their insight and their open mind toward self published authors. Although the entry of $100 seems steep to some, place it in perspective. Cable TV runs many $50 a month, dsl internet is just as high. I just paid to have my second novel, THE TARGET, undergo critical analysis and that cost was far more than $100. I view this as an advertising expense because that’s what it is.
March 7th, 2006 at 10:36 am
I have been a big fan of Writer’s Digest for years, but, I’ve never figured out why they charge such a high fee for a contest.
I can understand $ 10.00, but, ……$ 100.00 is ridiculous!!
WD has always been a major advocate of the “small” writer, so why should they charge at all?
It seems like someone is making alot of money off this…..That is very sad!
March 7th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Writer’s Digest takes self-publishing and the International Self-Published Book Awards very seriously. In order to give our entrants the highest quality service, we hire writers with editing and publishing experience to read, evaluate and submit commentary on every book that is entered. Judges are recruited based on the various categories of the competition. This allows a reference book to get the same type of expert attention as a poetry or genre fiction book. These services, along with the competition prizes, are covered by the entry fees.