Monday, April 27, 2015

Youth Book Awards

There are countless children's and young adult book awards out there.  But when it comes to deciding which book awards are best, that part can be challenging.  When authors are looking to earn recognition for their books through book awards, it's important to make sure the programs are credible and well respected. While we do not endorse any of these, the following book awards are ones which may be more credible, established, and offer more bang for your entry buck.




Categories include children’s and adult literature
Prizes include Award Seals and Marketing Materials






















Literary Classics Top Honors Awards
Categories include children’s and young adult literature
Prizes include Award Seals, Conference Scholarships
Exhibit Opportunities at Book Fairs and Trade Shows,
Marketing Materials and Author Spotlights





































Categories include children’s literature
Prizes include Award Seals, Award Certificate,
Dedicated Winner's Page with Links






















Nautilus Book Award
Categories include children’s and young adult literature
Cash Prize and Award Seals
Exhibit Opportunities at Book Fairs and Trade Shows























Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Spark Award
Categories include children’s and young adult literature
Prizes include Award Seals, Plaque and Marketing Materials​

















Writer's Digest Self Published Book Awards
Categories include children’s and adult literature
Prizes include Cash Prizes, Award Seals and Marketing Materials


Book Award Programs that will accept self published books


As an author of a self published book, it can be difficult to find ways to gain exposure.  Book awards are an excellent way to let people know the merits of your book.  But if you're self published, you're going to have to work a little harder to find award programs that will consider your book.

To follow is a list of some of the more established book award programs today which accept self published book entries.  Author.Pub does not endorse any of the following awards. Please be advised, authors should take the time to research any book awards before entering.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award


Axiom Business Book Awards


eLit Book Awards


ForeWord Reviews – IndieFab Awards


Harry Bowling Prize


Historical Novel Society International Award


IACP Cookbook Awards


Benjamin Franklin Awards


IndieReader Discovery Awards


International Book Awards


International Rubery Book Award


IPPY Awards


Literary Classics International Book Awards


Mom’s Choice Awards


National Indie Excellence Book Awards


National Literacy Trust Children’s Author Prize


Nautilus Book Awards


Next Big Author Opening Chapter


Next Generation Indie Book Awards


Shelf Unbound Writing Competition for Best Self-Published Book


Top Honors Awards


Writer’s Digest Self Published Book Awards


I got a great review of my book . . . Now What?

So your book just got an excellent review . . . Congratulations! Good reviews are like gold. If you're fortunate enough to get one, you'll want to make sure you do everything possible to put that endorsement to work for you to help sell more books. So where do you start?  Here are a few tips for ways to help spread the word about recommendations for your book . . .




Press Releases
Submit your book review as a press release to all your local media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television news, etc.)   If your book appeals to a specific niche, make sure you submit your press release to any publications online, or otherwise, which cater to the demographic of your readership.  Don't forget to use online free press release services to help spread the word. 
Back Cover
If you've received a positive review from a reputable review agency, make sure you put it out there where potential buyers can see it. Use a quote, or an excerpt of a quote for any future print runs of your book.  Don't forget to credit the source of the reviewer; if you've received a great review from the New York Times, then you want to make sure everyone knows about it!
Banners & Signage
If you're attending book-signings at festivals or other venues, you'll want to create professional looking signage.  Banners and signs are a great place to promote positive reviews of your book.  Take the time to do this well.  Professional looking banners with sturdy banner-stands are eye-catching and can do wonders to create a professional image for you and your book.  If a banner is impractical, or out of the budget, you can also print professional looking signs to place inside plexiglass frames.  
Social Media
Do you have a blog?  Great!  Post your review there.  Don't forget to share your review on your Facebook, Twitter, Google + and LinkedIn pages. Make sure to use #hashtags to increase your post's visibility.  Go ahead, be shameless, and ask your friends and family to like and share your posts.  
Amazon's Editorial Reviews
The Editorial Review Section on your Amazon Author Central profile was created to help you bring attention to your professional reviews and literary achievements. This is a great place for sharing your success as an author!
GoodReads Profile
Post your reviews in your GoodReads profile (go to your dashboard to do this).  Also, don't forget to blog the review in GoodRead's blog section.
Your Barnes and Noble Profile
Post your review in the section entitled: More About This Book.  Take the time to get this right the first time though, because Barnes and Noble does not make it easy to edit your posts here.  
Your Website
Post all, or a portion of your all your positive reviews on your website.  Don't forget to include images and logos (with permission) to help bring attention to those reviews which have been provided from reputable and well-recognized agencies. If you have a media page include a PDF of your review which can be downloaded directly from your site.  
Your Sell-Sheet
Your sell-sheet is the perfect place to include reviews of your book. A sell-sheet should include pertinent information for bookstores, libraries and buyers to tell them why and how to purchase your book.