Book Awards For The Self-Published Author

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By Kristine Manley

So you've self published your book? You also have begun some marketing and promoting your self published book. You say the book signing party went well, if you had one. How do you get some credibility to your self published book? Glad you asked. Have you tried book awards? Yes, there are some book award programs that don't accept self published authors, and there is a time constraint because those book award programs that do accept self published authors say your book must have a certain copyright date - some will only accept self published books with copyright dates for certain years, e.g., some will not accept books with copyright dates earlier than 2009.

Advantages of Book Awards:

  • Many book award programs have panels of distinguished judges that review books. When your book has won an award you are generally told the names of the panelists who reviewed your book. Sometimes you're given the reveiwers' evaluations, which might have grades attached.
  • The majority of the time you will receive seals of approval, press releases, logos, free online news about your book as well as have its award submitted to different websites, and discounts for several marketing services.
  • You may purchase the seals of approval or similar award stickers and place on your book.
  • For logos, you may use the logo on your website, blog, announcements, and marketing materials shouting to the world that your self published book is award-winning.
  • You may use the terms "award-winning book" or "award-winning author."
  • You can put award designation on reprints.
  • Book awards can place your self published book in prominent locations at book events. There may be a section for award-winning books.
  • Mention other publicly known products that have won that same award as your self published book. For instance, my book, Resumes for Children - 17 Years Old and Under , is a Mom's Choice Award® Gold recipient, and Pampers is a Mom's Choice Award® winner too - yes, my book is up there with poop (LOL).

Let's look at some book award programs for self published authors.


Comments

Kristine Manley profile image

Kristine Manley Hub Author 3 weeks ago

Hi Cyndi10, thanks.

Cyndi10 profile image

Cyndi10 Level 7 Commenter 4 weeks ago

Hello Kristine, Your list of sites for awards is very useful. I will bookmark your site for future reference.

Kristine Manley profile image

Kristine Manley Hub Author 3 months ago

Hi Billy Bob Buttons, good to hear from you again. I'm cheap and do not enter book awards that charge a hefty fee. I will most certainly check out your book awards. Thanks for commenting.

Billy Bob Buttons 3 months ago

Hi, my name is Billy Bob Buttons (my pen name, my real name is Edward Trayer) and my children’s novels have been independently published in the UK. I do pretty well but I’m so fed up of entering my books in American book awards. They cost a fortune and I doubt many of the books even get opened. So I decided to set up my own book award for independent and self-published authors of hardbacks, paperbacks or e-books, living and/or selling their books in the UK.

I write children’s books, I’m a secondary school English teacher and I just did an 200 school book tour of England, so I thought I’d mix the three things up and organise for the children’s books to be judged by the children in the schools I just visited. The adult books, not so much my forte, will be assessed by members of established reading groups who know a good book when they read it.

This bit is very important. This is only my second year doing this and I’m not promising chests of gold, and I very much doubt Oprah will be knocking on the doors of the winning authors. But I do promise your books will be read cover to cover and judged by children and adults who love reading, and the entry fee will be used to cover the costs of running the Award plus a prize or two for all the finalists.

I also thought 75 dollars to over 120 dollars (90 odd quid) to enter a book award was a gigantic rip-off. They must be making a bloody fortune over there. So I thought £28 would be okay; cover the costs of posting the books to the schools, hosting the website, advertising the finalists, buying and inscribing medals and perhaps even stretch to a bit of prize money for the winners. This is a non-profit making Award and a copy of the accounts will be sent to every entrant.

Also, every entrant will be given feedback, whether they win or not, and, if you do do well in this Award, you can publicise your success in any way you see fit. I just discovered many of the independent book awards in America charge a licencing fee if you wish to publicise the fact you won! Cheeky or what!?

www.thewsa.co.uk

Billy Bob Buttons 7 months ago

Hi, yes, you're right Sian. When I first decided to set up The Wishing Shelf Awards I could not find an awards in the UK, but now there're a number of them. I will change it on the web site when I get a chance.

Billy Bob Buttons.

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howcurecancer 12 months ago

I like your hub. Awesome! Now I am one of your followers.

Sian 14 months ago

Billy Bob Buttons makes a number of untrue claims on his website and here. To address the one here: his is NOT the first UK based book awards for independent and self published authors. There are others in the UK just try google.

Kristine Manley profile image

Kristine Manley Hub Author 17 months ago

Hi Bill Bob Buttons, thanks for the info. I will check it out. I am always looking to enter book awards.

Billy Bob Buttons 17 months ago

Check out The Wishing Shelf Awards, the first UK-based book awards for independent and seelf-published authors. It's a non-profit making award and your book will actually get properly read and assessed.

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