Book award wins can give a major boost to your writing career (just ask our authors!). Awards are hyper-efficient credibility reinforcers, conveying acclaim that signifies you and your book are worthy of readers’ attention, time, and book-buying budget.
This legitimizing force is especially important for self-published authors. Though independently produced books are more beloved by readers and booksellers than ever, the seal of approval that comes from award recognition often puts to rest any doubts about your project’s value and helps you stand out amongst the many new titles released each year.
Better yet: you don’t even need to win to enjoy many of the benefits that book awards have to offer. Breaking onto a shortlist or longlist is something to be proud of, and that accomplishment is worth sharing with your readership. “It’s an honour just to be nominated” is a frequently peddled phrase at awards shows for a reason!
But because book awards are so valuable to authors, there are numerous predatory pay-to-win “awards” out there to be wary of. Earning the kind of accolades that will actually move the needle for your book starts with identifying and submitting yourself for the right opportunities.
To help you locate those kinds of opportunities, we’ve compiled a list of vetted awards open to independently published and self-published North American authors of English language books. The following options are judged by a governing body and range from regional and genre-based competitions to internationally recognized awards.
Get started by sorting the chart by prize, eligibility criteria, or geographic restrictions. Consider the criteria that matters most to you, explore what you qualify for, and pay particular attention to the submission deadlines. If you’ve missed this year’s deadline, set yourself a reminder in advance of next year’s application window.
We hope this list serves as a useful and fruitful resource for your book marketing and promotions efforts. Best of luck!
| Name | Year Founded | Organizers | Geographic Restrictions | Eligibility Criteria | Submission Deadline | Entry Fee | Prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Writers Competition ⇲ | 2004 | Clive Cussler Collector's Society | None | Adventure Writers; Book sales under 10,000 copies | April | $50 | N/A |
| Axiom Business Book Awards ⇲ | 2007 | Jenkins Group | None | Business Books | January | $95 | N/A |
| Best Book Awards ⇲ | 2003 | American Book Fest | United States | Self-Published; Independently Published | September | $74 | Marketing Exposure |
| The Best Indie Book Award ⇲ | 2013 | Best Indie Book Award | None | Self-Published; Independently Published | September | $60 | Marketing Exposure; Trophy |
| Book of the Year Awards ⇲ | 2015 | Independent Author Network | None | Self-Published | August | $49 | $500 to $2500 |
| The Booklife Prize ⇲ | 2016 | Publishers Weekly | None | Self-Published; Unpublished | August (Fiction); January (Nonfiction) | $99 | $1000 to $5000 |
| The Bram Stoker Awards ⇲ | 1988 | Horror Writers Association | None | Self-Published Horror Writers; Traditionally Published Horror Writers | November | $0 | Prestige & Award Seals |
| The Canadian Book Club Awards ⇲ | 2019 | The Self Publishing Agency | Canada | Self-Published; Traditionally Published | July | $159 | Marketing Exposure |
| The Christy Awards ⇲ | 1999 | Evangelical Christian Publishers Association | None | Christian Fiction Authors | March | $175 | N/A |
| CIPA EVVY Book Competition ⇲ | 1994 | Colorado Independent Publishers Association | None | Self-Published; Independently Published | May | $150 | N/A |
| The Discovery Awards ⇲ | 2010 | Indie Reader | None | Self-Published; Independently Published | February | $150 | $250 to $500 |
| eLit Book Awards ⇲ | 2010 | Jenkins Group | None | eBook Award | September | $75 | N/A |
| Rakuten Kobo Emerging Author Prize ⇲ | 2015 | Rakuten Kobo | Canada | First Time Canadian Authors | February | $0 | $10,000 |
| The Eric Hoffer Award ⇲ | 2000 | Eric Hoffer Book Award | None | Self-Published; Academic Presses; Small Presses | January | $60 | $5,000 |
| Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award ⇲ | 1998 | Foreword Reviews | None | Self-Published; Independently Published; University Presses | January | $119 | $1,500 |
| Goody Business Book Awards ⇲ | 2019 | Goody PR | None | Business Books | September | $75 | Marketing Exposure |
| IACP Cookbook Awards ⇲ | 2011 | International Association of Culinary Professionals | None | Cookbooks | March | $200 | N/A |
| Independent Publisher Book Awards ⇲ | 1996 | Jenkins Group | None | Self-Published; Independently Published; University Presses | March | $95 | Marketing Exposure |
| The Kindle Book Awards ⇲ | 2011 | Kindle Book Review | None | Independently Publishing; Books in .mobi format | May | $35 | $600 |
| Living Now Book Awards ⇲ | 2008 | Jenkins Group | None | Lifestyle and Wellness Books | June | $75 | N/A |
| Manitoba Book Awards ⇲ | 1989 | The Manitoba Writers' Guild | Manitoba Residents | 14 awards with different criteria | January | $0 | Varies by year |
| Moonbeam Children's Book Awards ⇲ | 2006 | Jenkins Group | None | Children's Books | August | $75 | N/A |
| The National Indie Excellence Awards ⇲ | 2006 | NIEA | None | Self-Published; Independently Published; Small Presses; University Presses | March | $75 | Marketing Exposure |
| Nautilus Book Awards ⇲ | 1998 | Nautilus Book Awards | None | Books about Social and Environmental Justice | February | $130 | $2,500 |
| John Newbery Medal ⇲ | 1922 | Association for Library Service to Children | United States | Children's Books (up to Age 14) | December 31 | $0 | Award Seal |
| Next Generation Indie Book Awards ⇲ | 2007 | Next Generation Indie Book Awards | None | Self-Published; Independently Published; University Presses | February | $75 | $100 to $1500 |
| New York Book Festival ⇲ | 2007 | JM Northern Media | None | Self-Published; Independently Published | June | $50 | $1,500 |
| North Street Book Prize ⇲ | 2014 | Winning Writers | None | Self-Published; Hybrid Published | July | $79 | $300 to $10,000+ |
| Purple Dragonfly Book Award ⇲ | 2009 | Story Monsters | None | Children's Books | May | $70 | $500 |
| Readers View Literary Awards ⇲ | 2005 | The Reader Views | None | Self-Published Books Only | December | $99 | $2,500 |
| Royal Dragonfly Book Awards ⇲ | 2011 | Story Monsters | None | Self-Published | December | $89 | $500 |
| San Francisco Book Festival ⇲ | 2009 | JM Northern Media | None | Any published or unpublished book | June | $50 | $1,500 |
| Self-Published Book Awards ⇲ | 1998 | Writer's Digest | None | Self-Published; Small Presses | May | $125 | $10,000 + marketing support |
| Shelf Unbound Best Indie/Self-Published Book Competition ⇲ | 2014 | Shelf Unbound Book Review Magazine | None | Self-Published; Independently Published | October | $100 | $500 to $1000 |
| Spark Award ⇲ | 2013 | Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators | None | Self-Published Children's Books; Must be SCBWI member | November | $0 | $1,000 |
| The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour ⇲ | 1947 | The Stephen Leacock Associates | Canada | Canadian Citizens or Landed Immigrants; Must carry ISBN | December | $200 | $4000 to $25000 |
| The Vivian Award ⇲ | 2021 | Romance Writers of America | United States | Romance Books; RWA members get priority | January | $50 | N/A |
| Whistler Independent Book Awards ⇲ | 2016 | Whistler Writing Society | Canada | Self-Published Books Only | April | $125 | Marketing Exposure |
Note: if you organize a book award that meets our criteria and would like to see it included here, send us an email at publishing@friesenpress.com. Our team will be in touch!
