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IPPY Book Awards

January 25, 2019 by Michelle Scappace

The Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) Book Awards – Final entry deadline is February 23, 2019

The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award are probably the most well known and prestigious, but other book awards exist specifically for self-published or small press books.

Book awards can be tremendously valuable to the marketing efforts of the winning books.

When a book wins an award, the result is free publicity for the author and usually additional book sales.

About IPPY Awards

The Independent Publisher Book Awards is one of the most established and most recognized independent book awards event in the world.

Launched in 1996, these wards are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers.

Established as the first unaffiliated awards program open exclusively to independents, the “IPPYs” recognize hundreds of the year’s best books, bringing them to the attention of booksellers, buyers, librarians, and book lovers.

The Independent Publisher Book Awards contest is now accepting entries from independent authors and publishers with books intended for an English speaking audience. Books released between January 1, 2017 and February 23, 2019, or with 2017-2019 copyrights are eligible. Entry fee is $95 per title, per category with a $55 ‘add-on’ fee for regional/eBook entries.

How to Enter

There are two ways to enter: online with a credit card or the printable entry form to pay by check. Ship books with entry form tucked inside the front cover– the final step in the online entry process is printing out mailing instructions.  Results will be announced on about April 10, 2019. The award ceremony will be held on the eve of BookExpo in NYC, in late May, at the Copacabana Times Square.

Entry fees are $95 per title/per category. Regional and eBook category entries are just $55 when added to a general category entry for the same title. This a “postmark deadline,” so you can enter right up to the deadline and send books to arrive for judging the following week.

Note: All entries are automatically considered for Outstanding Books of the Year Awards at no extra charge.

Ebook category entries can be uploaded at the end of the online entry process, or you can send via attachment (PDF, EPUB, MOBI), via DropBox, or you can use Kindle Gift or provide iTunes access code.

Eligibility

Independent publishers, university presses, self-publishers and independent authors who publish books intended for an English speaking audience may enter. Books released between January 1, 2017 and February 23, 2019, or with 2017-2019 copyrights, are eligible. Books with release dates after the deadline may be entered if they carry a 2019 copyright and if a good judging copy is available.

You can download an Excel spreadsheet to use to log award entries below. This is just one of many forms and checklists available through the Professional Author Assistant Training and Certification Program.

Download an Excel version of the log on this page to use with authors

For more details about the IPPY Awards, or to send press materials, please contact:

Jim Barnes, Managing Editor & Awards Director
Jenkins Group
1129 Woodmere Ave, Ste B
Traverse City, MI 49696
IndependentPublisher.com / Jenkins Group
Ph: 1.800.644.0133 x 1011 / jimb@bookpublishing.com

 

Filed Under: Author Assistant, Book Awards, Book Marketing, Independent Publishers, Publishing, Virtual Assistant Tagged With: author assistants, Book awards, book marketing, IBPA, Professional Author Assistant, publishing, self-publishing, Virtual Assistants

Book Awards

August 24, 2017 by Michelle Scappace

This week we are revisiting a popular topic of a previous blog and we’ve included some additional information about upcoming awards and deadlines.

Book awards can be tremendously valuable to the marketing efforts of the winning books.

When a book wins an award, the result is free publicity for the author and usually additional book sales. The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award are probably the most well-known and prestigious, but other book awards exist specifically for self-published or small press books. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Author Assistant, Book Marketing, Virtual Assistant Tagged With: author assistants, Book awards, book marketing, IBPA, Professional Author Assistant, Virtual Assistants

In the Spotlight: Candy Zulkosky

July 28, 2017 by Michelle Scappace

We like to occasionally feature some of the people who have completed the Professional Author and Speaker Training and Certification Programs. This week we’re shining the InstructionSmith spotlight on Candy Zulkosky.

Candy lives at the beach, on an island along the coast of North Carolina which is especially interesting considering she spent the first 30 or so years of her life living in the same small town tucked away in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

She ran away to sea for five years and taught computer classes to cruise ship passengers on the love boat! She lived for months at a time onboard Princess Cruise ships—and got paid to sail around the world. She notes this was arguably the best time of her life. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Author Assistant, Entrepreneur, In the Spotlight, Publishing Services, Virtual Assistant Tagged With: assisted self-publishing, author assistants, authors, book marketing, Candy Zulkosky, Entrepreneur, IVAA, niche marketing, Professional Author Assistant, publishing, self-publishing, Virtual Assistants

And the Award Goes To . . .

February 23, 2017 by Janica Smith

‘Tis the season for awards – Grammy Awards, Golden Globes, Oscars, and more.  It is also the season for book awards. While they may not be televised or as well known by the general public, book awards can be tremendously valuable to the marketing efforts of the winning books.

When a book wins an award, the result is free publicity for the author and usually additional book sales. The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award are probably the most well-known and prestigious, but other book awards exist specifically for self-published or small press books.

There are two types of book awards to consider – competitive awards and quality awards. They are both great opportunities for validation and PR opportunities and can be very helpful in getting the attention of book store buyers and librarians.

Competitive book awards

In this type of award program your book is judged against other books in a particular category. This type of award is typically awarded annually and will have an entry deadline and a specific schedule when the award is announced. Some will announce a group of finalists first and then later announce a final award list. Most awards of this type are announced between March – May around publishing conferences and Book Expo America.  Most prizes are awarded annually, and there are numerous ones for different categories of books.

Quality book awards

This type of award is different in that your book is judged against a standard of quality and excellence. These awards usually have a rolling schedule and accept entries and announce awards throughout the year. They can be a great way to earn an award early in the availability of the book since you don’t have to wait to enter. While these awards typically have higher entry fees, they can be an excellent opportunity to gain a third party stamp of approval that is not dependent on being the top book in you category for the year. Two awards of this type that I have had good experiences with are the Nonfiction Book Awards and Mom’s Choice Awards.

Choosing which awards to enter

But be careful—not all book awards are created equal. There are many awards and new ones springing up each year. Almost all awards require an entrance fee, per book and per category. If you enter every one available to you it can get quite expensive.

I recommend to you develop a strategic plan so you are purposeful in your award entry choices. Research the awards you may qualify for to see which ones will fit best into your marketing strategy. Important things to look at include:

  • How long has the award been in existence? Those that are well established are likely more well known in the publishing industry and among book store buyers and librarians. However, a new award may have fewer entries giving your book a better opportunity to shine.
  • What kind of PR does the award program provide for winners? Typically, you’ll see press releases and a listing of winners from prior years on the award website. Some make their announcement of winners in conjunction with large publishing industry events.
  • What tools do they provide for winners to use in their own marketing? This includes things like award seals for you to affix to the cover of your book and in promotional materials. What is the additional cost to the winners to use these seals? It is common to be given a limited number of stickers and have the opportunity to purchase additional seals. Winners can also get digital versions of the seals to add to their book cover art work but may have to pay an additional licensing fee for this.
  • Who are the past winners of the award? Looking at previous winners can give you an idea of the quality of the books that have won. You can get an idea of how your book will stack up.
  • What are the category choices for entry? If there are only broad categories (i.e. Business) your book will be in a much bigger field of competition than if there is a category that is more specific (i.e. Sales or Women in Business).

Managing award opportunities

Researching awards, preparing entries, and tracking the awards entered can take a considerable time and effort commitment. This is a service that Professional Author Assistants can manage for busy authors as part of the Author’s Dream Team . Each award has its own set of requirements and attention to detail is very important to avoid disqualification. You’ll want to keep track of the awards you have entered and assure that the samples required are received. You can download an Excel spreadsheet to use to log award entries below. This is just one of many forms and checklists available through the Professional Author Assistant Training and Certification Program.

Have any of your books or your clients’ books won awards? If so, comment and let us know your experience.

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Filed Under: Book Marketing Tagged With: author assistants, Book awards, book marketing

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