Should Writers Join Contests?
Indie-publishing news, education, and resources from 1106Design.com
Should Writers Join Contests?
Contests are often a point of controversy in the writing community. Many authors strongly support contests, while others warn against entering them. Because of the mixed views, you may be on the fence about entering contests. In this post, we’ll list the pros and cons of entering contests, what to consider when making your selection, and some extra tips to help you succeed. Then, you can decide which contests, if any, are right for you….
Click here to learn more about what makes some contests worth the fees and what should make you avoid others.
In case you missed it…
Should Authors Pay for Reviews?
Click here to find out whether paid reviews are worthwhile and what to consider when selecting a review service.
IngramSpark: The Best Fonts for Books
"Did you know: serif fonts are easier on the reader’s eye than sans-serif fonts; the stroke leads the reader’s eye from one letter to the next."
New Shelves Books: Time or Money?
"You either do the marketing yourself, spending your time, or you pay someone to do it for you. @NewShelvesBooks offers insight on the option that's best for you as an author."
The Society of Authors: Amazon Reforms Ebook Policies in Response to Union Concerns
"It's about time! Hats off to Amazon for finally reforming their ebook return policy…"
Inspirational Quote: Joseph Joubert
“Never write anything that does not give you great pleasure. Emotion is easily transferred from the writer to the reader.”
Publish with Purpose
You're invited!
The Publish with Purpose virtual summit begins on October 10, and Tara Alemany is proud to be part of this great lineup of experts, who are all stepping up to share their knowledge and expertise with you.
If you're an author, publisher, or book marketer, you're not going to want to miss this! The summit includes 20+ presentations plus 8 live sessions that cover topics like:
• Working with writers' critique groups
• Learning how to build a long-term author career
• Avoiding blunders that will sink your book
• Legal tips for authors
• Conquering mailer's block
• Making the most of Facebook and Instagram advertising
• Boosting book sales and platform growth with author collaborations
• Getting others to pay for your book marketing
• Leveraging the power of product bundles
• Becoming a podcast guest insider
• And so much more!
There are even great opportunities to meet the speakers and other attendees to get your questions answered and possibly find your next collaboration partner!
For the price of admission ($67), you have access to the replays for three full months. So, even if you can't commit to attending live, you'll have all these great resources to learn from in the coming months.
Call for Entries: IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards
The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards are regarded among the highest national honors in independent publishing. The awards are administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), with assistance from 160+ publishing professionals including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers, and editors.
Qualifying entrants include independent publishers, hybrid publishers, self-published authors, university presses, and association presses that have published a print or audiobook with a copyright date of 2022. There are over 50 categories to choose from. These awards are unique in that all entrants receive direct feedback on each submission from the judges.
Awards/Benefits:
Each year, a gala award ceremony is held where one Gold and two or three Silver award winners are announced in each category. All Gold winners receive an engraved trophy. Following the ceremony, winners are announced to major trade journals, select libraries, all IBPA social media channels, and more.
All entrants receive 15% off IBPA Publishing University conference tickets.
All winners (Gold and Silver) also receive…
Recognition prior to the awards ceremony on the IBPA website.
Archived listing after the awards ceremony on the IBPA website.
Two tickets to the awards ceremony.
15% off all IBPA marketing programs during the book(s) winning year.
A press release template.
A personalized award certificate.
Special award stickers to affix to the winning books.
The first entry period has ended, but the second ends on December 15, 2022.
Entrants must be current members of the IBPA. There are two fees for entry.
Fee for non-members:
$229 for the initial entry; $95 for additional entries
($95 per title/per category, plus $134 to cover annual IBPA membership fee)
Fee for current members:
$95 for the initial entry; $95 for additional entries
Call for Entries: 2023 Eric Hoffer Award
Calling small presses, academic presses, micro presses, and self-publishers!
Each year, independent publishers release extraordinary books with little or no recognition. The Eric Hoffer Book Award recognizes excellence in publishing. Not only is The Eric Hoffer Book Award one of the most recognized awards for independent and small presses, but it’s also the most economical way to achieve publicity and recognition.
A single registration gives you seven ways to win by genre, press, the Montaigne Medal, the da Vince Eye, the First Horizon Award, the Medal Provocateur (for poetry), and the Hoffer grand prize. There is a category for every book.
Low entrance fee: $60 for early registration by Dec. 14, $70 after
Chapbooks and eBooks welcome—chapbooks at a reduced rate of $45
Legacy categories for books older than 2 years
New MEDAL PROVOCATEUR for the best on the frontier of poetry
Their categories cover the entire spectrum of publishing: Art, Poetry, Chapbook, General Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Children, Middle Reader, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Crime, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Short Story/Anthology, Spiritual Fiction, Culture, Memoir, Business, Reference, Home, Health, Self-Help, Spiritual Nonfiction, Legacy Fiction, Legacy Nonfiction, e-Book Fiction, and e-Book Nonfiction
Awards/Benefits:
$2,500 GRAND PRIZE (the Eric Hoffer Award for Books)
Winner of the Montaigne Medal for most thought-provoking books
Winner of the da Vinci Eye for best covers
Winner of the First Horizon Award for debut authors
Winner of the Medal Provocateur for experimental poetry
Winner and First Runner-Up awarded for every category
Honorable Mentions for every category
Individual Awards for Micro, Small, and Academic Presses, as well as Self-Published Books
Coverage in The US Review of Books and on www.HofferAward.com
Gold Seal Certificates
Worldwide Exposure
You can read Hoffer Award success stories here, read previous contest coverage in the US Review of Books, and view past winners and press releases here.
Check Out Our Services
Proofreading
After typesetting your work, it’s imperative to have an experienced proofreader look over your manuscript to ensure the finished product is error-free and ready for publication. This is a standard procedure in the publishing process. This service is included with our interior book layout service, but it’s also available “á la carte” as a separate service.
Through our proofreading service, we’ll mark items using The Chicago Manual of Style or your own style sheet as a guide and send you a marked-up PDF for review and addition of your own changes.
To learn more about this service, please visit this link or contact us here.
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