Posts filed under ‘Contests’
Independent Publisher Book Awards
Attention all independent authors and publishers!! Submit your independently published titles.
The Independent Publisher Book Awards is now accepting titles for their 15th annual awards celebration, honoring the year’s best independently published titles. Entries are accepted until March 19, 2011 for books with a 2010 or 2011 copyright date.
“Launched in 1996, the Independent Publisher Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Open exclusively to independents, the “IPPYs” recognize the year’s best books and bring them to the attention of booksellers, buyers, librarians, and book lovers. The IPPY contest is among the largest and most recognized book awards events in the world, and this year’s 15th annual contest will have very high visibility and get huge media attention.”
Here’s your chance! Gain a presence for your writing and exposure of your book. Extend your marketing campaign to include press materials on your award winning book.
The Details:
- The IPPY Awards are open to all independent, university, small press, and self-publishers who produce books written in English.
- Titles copyrighted 2010 or 2011, or that are released in 2010 or early 2011 may be entered in this year’s contest.
- 69 Categories, 21 Regions, plus the Outstanding Books of the Year
- Final entry deadline of Saturday, March 19, 2011
- National category entry fee is $95; Regional category can be added for $45; Outstanding Books of the Year consideration at no extra charge.
Enter now at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php
The Independent Publisher Book Awards’ mission is, “Recognizing Excellence in Independent Publishing.” Include your book among the best indie-published books of the year and submit your story.
The IPPY Awards reward those who exhibit the courage, innovation, and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing. Enter your award-worthy books today, and gain the recognition and exposure they deserve. Receive your medal and add the award winning seal to your book cover.
Good luck to all participants! Remember, there is only room to gain. Get your book out there and good luck.
2010 Call for Entries: Submit Your Published Titles
Attention all writers who have published in 2009 and 2010. If your book has an ISBN, submit your story to The National “Best Books 2010” Awards sponsored by USA Book News. The Best Books Awards is now celebrating their 7th Year of honoring outstanding independent and mainstream books.
Select from 130 categories, including first time author, specific genres and design. All submitted entries will receive online coverage (final deadline is August 31, 2010), and those submissions received by March 31, 2010 will receive a six-month full color listing on USABookNews.com, including your color book cover, a brief paragraph about your book title and a hyperlink to your web site.
“The National Best Books Awards are specifically designed to garner Media Coverage and Book Sales for the winners and finalists throughout the 2010 holiday season and 2011!” In addition, winner and finalist book titles will be promoted through USA Book News E-zine, sent to thousands of book buyers, along with instant coverage and immediate exposure to over 500,000+ subscribers to USA Book News online networks and media outlets. The award sticker is added to your book cover and you may continue to promote your book as Award-Winning.
Entry Fees and Deadlines:
$69 per title/per category
- Enter your book(s) on or before March 31, 2010 and receive a six-month full color listing on USABookNews.com. (All entries must be postmarked on or before March 31, 2010.)
- FINAL Entry Deadline is August 31, 2010. (All entries must be postmarked on or before August 31, 2010.)
- Winners and Finalists will be announced nationally in late October 2010.
- Eligible titles must have a 2010 or 2009 publication date and ISBN number.
- Galley copies are welcome.
- All sales are final. Books are donated to charity or discarded after the competition and will not be returned.
Submission Checklist
- ONE copy of your book per category entered (Galley copies are welcome)
- A completed Entry Form for each title.
- A past Press Release or Marketing Material for each title (if available)
- A check for the entry fees, payable to JPX Media (if paying by check) or
- Be sure to include your Online Payment Order number on your entry form.
You may find the entry form on www.USABookNews.com.
Remember that exposure is key to book marketing success. These kinds of chances are what take us places and it’s not too late to get on track to publishing your book through Wordclay — this could be the motivator you have been waiting on. Your book may be the award winning story we’re all looking for. Good luck!
–Melissa
Note: All entry information was taken directly from www.USABookNews.com/2010bestbooksawards.html
A Procrastinator’s Delight: Deadline to Enter WritingRoom’s Novel Writing Contest Is Extended
So you thought you missed the date to enter the 2009 WritingRoom.com Author Choice Contest. Yeah, yeah … you kept remembering, and then forgetting, and then you’d remember again, but you just ran out of time.
Well, you are one lucky procrastinator, because the deadline to enter has been extended until July 13, 2009. If you haven’t entered, you should seriously consider it for a few reasons:
1. It’s free. There’s no cost to enter the contest. WritingRoom.com, the contest sponsor, adjusted the entry rules ever-so-slightly to eliminate all cost associated with sending printed copies of your submission. Now, you can simply submit the files electronically. It is truly a free writing contest — no obligations or weird trickery.
2. You could win. Hey, someone has to win, why not you? Actually, there will be multiple winners: 10 writers will be selected as finalists, and three top winners will be selected from that group. And the prizes are quite impressive, from up to $500 in cash to more than $1,000 in publishing services, not to mention receiving advice from bestselling author Jon Land, and getting your book in front of top New York literary agent Loretta Barrett and editor at Tor/Forge Books, Eric Rabb. Now, doesn’t that sound nice?
3. There’s nothing to lose. When you add “it’s free” plus “you could win” you arrive here at “there’s nothing to lose.” Seriously, think about it: you have a chance to win prizes and be discovered as an author. Even if you don’t win, you always retain the rights to your material in association with this contest, so you be able to move on to your next venture in your literary career without worry.
Take that novel that you’ve written, even if you’re still putting the finishing touches on it, and enter it in the 2009 WritingRoom.com Author Choice Contest. Don’t forget the new deadline to enter: July 13, 2009.
- Learn how to enter the contest on WritingRoom.com
- See details about the prizes featured on PublishingRoom.com, WritingRoom’s self-publishing brand
-Angie
Submit to Poetry and Writing Contests: Margaret Reid Poetry Contest & The Writers of the Future Contest Now Open for Submission
One of the best drives and the most memorable payoffs in writing is entering (and sometimes winning) a literary contest. That’s why writers should always look for the writing contest that best suit their styles and formats, whether poetry (in the case of the Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for traditional verse form) or speculative fiction (in the case of The Writers of the Future Contest)
What is the Margaret Reid Poetry Contest?
The sixth annual writing contest sponsored by Tom Howard Books, the Margaret Reid Poetry Contest is now calling for submission of original, traditional verse forms. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, and you can also submit poems that have been published or won prizes elsewhere, as long as you own the online publication rights.
Prizes include: $2,000 (first prize), $1,000 (second prize), $500 (third prize), and $250 (fourth prize). There will also be five High Distinction Awards of $200 each and six Most Highly Commended Awards of $100 each. Fifteen top entries will be published on the Winning Writers Web site and announced in Tom Howard Contest News and the Winning Writers Newsletter, a combined audience of over 25,000 readers.
Though you have time – entries will be accepted as long as postmarked by June 30, 2009 – set aside the reading fee ($7.00 for every 25 lines submitted) and start revising your best poetry to win the biggest prize and publication.
The contest will be judged by John H. Reid, a former journalist and magazine editor who has judged literary contests for more than 15 years. He has published several novels, a collection of poetry, as well as many books on film criticism and movie history. The other judge of the Margaret Reid Contest is Dee C. Konrad, a leading educator and published author. Ms. Konrad was Associate Professor in the English faculty of Barat College of DePaul University, and served as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the year 2000-2001.
Read the complete contest guidelines here>>
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What is The Writers of the Future Contest?
Established in 1983 and sponsored by L. Ron Hubbard, The Writers of the Future Contest is now calling for submissions from the best aspiring writers in the field of speculative fiction and fantasy. Luckily, no entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author. All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome, just so long as the submission is original, written in English and under 17,000 words in length.
To cull only be best amateur writers, the contest is open only to those who have not published a novel or short novel (or more than one novelette or more than three short stories) in any medium or genre. For complete guidelines on format and submissions click here>>
Additionally, judges will award three cash prizes in each quarter: $1,000 (for first place), $750 (for second place), and $500 (for third place). Plus, the four first place winners of each year will have their entries re-judged, and a grand prize winner shall be determined then, receiving an additional $5,000.
So if you have the next breakthrough best seller in science fiction or fantasy, definitely consider The Writers of the Future Contest. Who knows – you could get the exposure you deserve as well as a bucket full of cash to fund your next novel.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Free Writing Contest at WritingRoom.com: Enter to Win Publication, Marketing and Cash Prizes
Remember WritingRoom.com’s 2009 Author’s Choice Contest is approaching its deadline, and all you need to enter is a manuscript. Register for free, upload your manuscript, shoot them an email with your entry, and mail three copies of your book to their screeners. Then you’re entered for a chance to win publication, marketing and some serious cash — it’s that simple!
The contest is designed especially to help aspiring novelists achieve their goals of success. The top 10 winners will receive help from acclaimed bestselling author Jon Land (The Seven Sins, one of the Library Journal’s Top Five Thrillers of 2008)to improve their manuscripts.
The top three winners will have their manuscripts published, marketed and promoted. In addition, one Grand-Prize winner will have their book read and considered by one of the top New York literary agents, Loretta Barrett and a traditional New York publisher.
It’s free to enter, and the only cost involved is that you have to foot the bill to order and ship three copies of your book for the judges’ review. Below are a few of the details concerning the contest, but you can read all the details about how to enter the writing contest on PublishingRoom.com.
2009 WritingRoom Author Choice Contest:
- Contest Start Date: Feb. 1, 2009
- Submission Deadline: May 18, 2009
Publishing, Marketing and Cash Prizes:
- Top 10 finalists will receive advice, help, and guidance from the judges to help improve quality and overall marketability of their books to a wide audience. The judges that will provide the advice know a thing or two about writing: 1) guest judge Jon Land, and 2) Lindsay Preston, CEO of WritingRoom.com.
- Third Place and Runner-Up Winners receive Publishing Packages valued at $600 (Third Place) and more than $1,000 (Runner-up), in addition to the book marketing campaign from WritingRoom.com, including a regionally-distributed press release and local media coverage. Let’s not forget the cash prizes either: $100 for Third Place and $250 for the Runner-up.
- Grand-Prize Winner receives: (1) Publishing Package with PublishingRoom.com valued at more than $1,000, (2) book marketing efforts by WritingRoom.com including a nationally-distributed press release, local media coverage and video interview with WritingRoom.com, (3) cash prize of $500, (4) read and considered by a top New York literary agent, Loretta Barrett, and last but not least (5) read by top editor Eric Rabb of Tor/Forge books.
Don’t let the WritingRoom.com contest pass you up without first submitting your book. Read the official contest rules and guidelines, and then enter for a chance to get read, get your book recognized by the press and win some extra money.
Reminder: Post Feedback on Wordclay Titles by April 30th for a Chance to Win Free Books
Really, the blog challenge is that simple. It’s free to submit your review, and you have the potential to win a printed copy of your favorite Wordclay self-published book. Simply post a comment to this blog that details the author and title of your favorite Wordclay publication, along with a brief (100 words) explanation of why you made your choice.
Spare five minutes to write your blurb about a Wordclay book, and next month you could have a copy of a great title for free (standard shipping and handling is included), so don’t be shy. Post your review or thoughts on one of our titles before April 30th (deadline has been extended) for a chance to win a printed book that you’ll be proud to feature on your coffee table or bookshelf.
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CONTEST DETAILS
Start: March 20, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EST
Deadline: April 30, 2009, 11:59 p.m. EST
Prize: Single printed book copy of your selection
Submission: Post the full title, author name and your personalized blurb of the book you’re nominating for serious consideration by the judges. Blurbs should not contain special formatting and can be no longer than 100 words.
Contact Info: After submitting, send a copy of your submission as well as your full name, e-mail address and mailing address (no PO Boxes) via e-mail to blog@wordclay.com.
Notification: The winner will be notified via e-mail the week after the contest ends, at which point the book selection will be printed and mailed to you with standard shipping immediately.
Shipping: Winning book will be send using standard shipping methods, whose cost will be covered by Wordclay for the purposes of this contest.
Conditions: Nominations must have Wordclay as the publisher without exception. Authors cannot nominate their own books, and any individual suspected of favoritism beyond the content and quality of a book will be immediately disqualified. Only the first nomination per participant will be considered, and all other nominations will be dismissed. One person may nominate more than one book, but each nomination must be submitted as a separate blog comments and entry for consideration.
Contest Terms: Wordclay will judge the contest solely at our discretion, and we reserve the right to disqualify suspect entries at any time. Each entry will be judged fairly based on sound argumentation, testimonials, personal experience, truth of statement, writing quality and passion for the nomination in question.
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Seriously, there’s no risk, and five minutes of your time could win you a book to share with friends or read again and again over the years, so submit your nomination for a chance, let our authors know what you think and win a free book in the meantime.
Wordclay Blog Contest: Post Feedback for a Chance to Win a Free Book
This month’s blog challenge is simple, free and has the potential to win you a printed copy of your favorite Wordclay self-published book. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to post a comment to this blog that details the author and title of your favorite Wordclay publication, along with a brief (100 words) explanation of why you made your choice.
Entering is just that easy. Spare five minutes to write your blurb about a Wordclay book, and next month you could have a copy of a great title for free (standard shipping and handling is included), so don’t be shy. Post your review or thoughts on one of our titles before April 20th for a chance to win a printed book that you’ll be proud to feature on your coffee table or bookshelf.
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CONTEST DETAILS
Start: March 20, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EST
Deadline: April 20, 2009, 11:59 p.m. EST
Prize: Single printed book copy of your selection
Submission: Post the full title, author name and your personalized blurb of the book you’re nominating for serious consideration by the judges. Blurbs should not contain special formatting and can be no longer than 100 words.
Contact Info: After submitting, send a copy of your submission as well as your full name, e-mail address and mailing address (no PO Boxes) via email to blog@wordclay.com.
Notification: The winner will be notified via e-mail the week after the contest ends, at which point the book selection will be printed and mailed with standard shipping immediately.
Shipping: Winning book will be send using standard shipping methods, whose cost will be covered by Wordclay for the purposes of this contest.
Conditions: Nominations must have Wordclay as the publisher without exception. Authors cannot nominate their own books, and any individual suspected of favoritism beyond the content and quality of a book will be immediate disqualified. Only the first nomination per participant will be considered, and all other nominations will be dismissed.
Contest Terms: Wordclay will judge the contest solely at our discretion, and we reserve the right to disqualify suspect entries at any time. Each entry will be judged fairly based on sound argumentation, testimonials, personal experience, truth of statement, writing quality and passion for the nomination in question.
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Seriously, there’s no risk, and five minutes of your time could win you a book to share with friends or read again and again over the years, submit your nomination for a chance let our authors know what you think and win a free book in the meantime.
Author Giveaways and Contests: How to Host Contests for Book Promotion
If you’re a published or self-published author, you already know the importance of promoting your book online, creating a buzz around your new title and recruiting new readers on a daily basis. What might elude you are the common methods of achieving those goals. Luckily, the Wordclay team has provided some handy author giveaway tips and contest basics, which you can easily implement in order to reach thousands of potential book buyers.
Tip #1: Consider launching your own Web site or blog. Posting regularly on topics of interest and generating useful content or free previews of your book will help to solidify your credibility in the eyes of readers. You can use your site to establish a strong Internet presence, loaded with valuable keywords which could lead Internet surfers to your page. Remember that securing a memorable, unique domain name will help readers find you again whenever they have time.
Tip #2: Offer a limited-time book giveaway. You could offer a free e-book download whenever a person registers with your mailing list and verifies their e-mail address. Any portion of your book can be given-away for free and serve as an enticement to readers, from your book’s first chapter to a complete printed copy to a PDF. You’ll not only establish immediate trust between author and audience, but you’re also supplying interesting and useful content to the world.
Tip #3: Host a review contest. Invite readers to buy your book, read your work and submit a review to win cash prizes, not unlike Bryan Hutchingson for his book One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir. And if you don’t have the means to offer cash prizes, a copy of your book in exchange for a brief testimonial or even an e-book to winners of a random drawing just might be enough to earn you a following of devoted fans.
However you decide to market your book online, don’t be afraid to get creative with your promotions by launching contests as well as giveaways, but no matter what, you always want to offer a practical, useful incentive to your Internet visitors to keep them interested.
Top Five New Literary Magazines to Read: Discovering Fresh Voices & Writing Talent
Justin here, and after a heated brainstorming sessions here at Wordclay, our team has finally agree on the top five new literary journals to which all authors and writers should subscribe. Of course there are hundreds of great magazines that are publishing amazing poetry and prose – some up and coming as we speak – so we’re certain this list will be revised in the future.
The real question is: what makes a literary magazine worth reading? With so many new journals emerging online and in print, with so many varying tastes and aesthetics, how can anyone separate the good from the bad?
The short answer is: there just isn’t a definitive way of separating them. Some prefer curling up with The New Yorker or The Paris Review, while others adamantly subscribe to The Missouri Review or The Denver Quarterly. As the saying goes, there’s no accounting for taste, and our decisions this time around could only be based on our personal preferences, the only criteria being that the magazine started publishing in the last decade.
So without further ado, here’s the Wordclay bloggers’ list of lit journals to check out in 2009. And if you’re a writer, check out their submission guidelines and current contests. Remember, it can’t hurt to submit your work, but it can seriously hinder your writing career if you never send your prose or poetry out. Besides, you might even get a free subscription to a great new magazine from submitting.
Canteen MagazineAbout Canteen: Canteen redefines the literary magazine. Their staff asks accomplished writers to reveal their creative process, and then they pair that insight with the best new work in fiction, poetry, art and photography — all designed to look more like a fine art book than a dusty old journal.
Mission Statement: “Canteen is the literary magazine that comes with instructions. We admire what writers and artists do, and we want insight into how and why it’s done. To get that, we ask contributors to move beyond the boundaries of genre and final draft to delve into reputation, ferocious drive, unmarketable dreams, the danger of reader takeovers, and just what makes a work important.”
Submission Guidelines: Canteen accepts original fiction, nonfiction, and poetry of up to 4,000 words. They are also interested in essays and commentary that relate to the creative process. Canteen accepts original individual images or portfolios of up to 10 images by a single artist, in a variety of media, including photographs, drawings, paintings, sculpture, video stills and digital art. Please submit all work to Canteen at: submissions@canteenmag.com.
Free Writing Contest for Aspiring Novelists
The thing about writing contests is that you can’t win if you don’t try. So, dust off that masterpiece that’s been hibernating all winter on your computer’s desktop, and enter it in WritingRoom.com’s 2009 Author’s Choice Contest.
The contest is designed especially to help aspiring novelists achieve their goals of success. The top 10 winners will receive a helping hand to improve their manuscripts from acclaimed bestselling author Jon Land, the author of The Seven Sins, one of the Library Journal’s Top Five Thrillers of 2008.
The top three winners will have their manuscripts published, marketed and promoted. In addition, one Grand-Prize winner will have their book read and considered by one of the top New York literary agents, Loretta Barrett and a traditional New York publisher.
It’s free to enter, and the only cost involved is that you have to foot the bill to order and ship three copies of your book for the judges’ review, which in most cases, is a lot less than what you plan to spend on one meal eating out this weekend (buying three 200-paged books plus shipping would cost about $33.00) Here are a few of the details about the contest. You can read all the details about how to enter the writing contest on PublishingRoom.com.
2009 WritingRoom Author Choice Contest:
- Contest Start Date: Feb. 1, 2009
- Submission Deadline: May 18, 2009
Prizes:
Top 10 Finalists:
- Finalists will receive advice, help, and guidance from the judges to help improve quality and overall marketability of their books to a wide audience. The judges that will provide the advice know a thing or two about writing: 1) guest judge Jon Land, and 2) Lindsay Preston, CEO of WritingRoom.com.
Third Place and Runner-Up Winners:
- Publishing Package From PublishingRoom.com valued at $600 for Third Place and more than $1,000 for the Runner-up.
- Book Marketing from WritingRoom.com, including a regionally-distributed press release and local media coverage.
- Cash prize of $100 for Third Place and $250 for the Runner-up.
Grand-Prize Winner:
- Publishing Package with PublishingRoom.com valued at more than $1,000
- Book marketing efforts by WritingRoom.com including a nationally-distributed press release, local media coverage and video interview with WritingRoom.com
- Cash prize of $500
- Read and considered by a top New York literary agent, Loretta Barrett
- Read by top editor Eric Rabb of Tor/Forge books
Read the official contest rules and guidelines, and then enter for your chance to win. You don’t want to let this contest pass you by. You’ll be kicking yourself for it – and that hurts.
-Angie
