Awards and scams--questions about eight specific opportunities

Woollybear · Dec 20, 2019

I spent a few hours yesterday surfing around for possible self-published awards authors can apply for. The idea is that recognition from a legitimate source is a good thing. I found maybe fifty awards 'out there' and knocked the scams off one by one, mostly with the help of an ALLI blog post. I also used some AW search functions to eliminate a couple.

I whittled the list down to eight 'recommended' awards.

The collective cost, were I to enter all eight, is around 300 dollars. I don't plan to enter all eight; for one thing two aren't open until spring or summer. But I thought I'd ask if any of you have thoughts or experience, positive or negative, about any of these:

Event, Organization, Fee

1. B.R.A.G. Medallion, indieBRAG, LLC, $75

2. Book of the Year Awards (IAN), Independent Author Network, $49

3. eBook Cover Design Awards, Joel Friedlander / The Book Designer, Free

4. Eric Hoffer Award, (not noted), $60

5. Indie Author Project, Ingram Spark, BiblioBoard, Library Journal, free

6. Kindle Book Awards, Kindle Book Review, $29

7. North Street Book Prize, Winning Writers, $60

8. The Wishing Shelf Awards, Wishing Shelf Press £19 / $29 for basic entry, £39 / $59 for feedback and reviews

zmethos · Dec 20, 2019

I would just say to read the process pretty closely. So many of these are popularity contests where it's about whether the author can get friends/family/readers to go vote for them rather than the work being judged by industry people on its merits. If you've already got a big fan base and can mobilize votes, great. But if you're hoping a couple awards will boost your signal, the awards that already depend on you getting people to vote aren't going to work out so well.

To be clear: I'm not saying popular stuff isn't award worthy. Only that sometimes it's more about popularity than the work itself.

CaoPaux · Dec 20, 2019

Moved from BR&BC, where 'tis one entity per thread. Be sure to check the Index for existing threads (e.g., Eric Hoffer).

Woollybear · Dec 20, 2019

Thank you both.

Zmethos--good call. I will check for the popularity aspect.

BLAlley · Apr 9, 2020

Most readers see right through paid awards and will dismiss you as a hack resorting to trickery to sell your book. There is a reason so many books that end up on Lousy Book Covers and similar sites have won some kind of paid award and proudly display the badge on their cover.
Even the 'legitimate' awards no longer hold the marketing value they once did because readers know they are chosen from a select few and therefore mean very little. Books are no different than movies. How often are the most popular movies Oscar and Golden Globe winners?

Awards and scams--questions about eight specific opportunities

Woollybear

zmethos

from words to worlds

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Woollybear

BLAlley