I get a little green with envy when I see “award-winning author” or “award-winning book” on a Twitter or Facebook profile description. At book signings and in book stores, the medallions on books taunt me, “Buy me, I am an award winner!” What amazes me is that there are so many award-winners.
The only way I can see to get this recognition is to enter book contests. Finding reputable contests can be a little difficult. One good resource is Winning Writers. Their guide, Literary Contest Insider, ranks and profiles over 1,250 poetry and prose contests. They sponsor two annual contests, the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee) and the Winning Writers Contest. They also assist the Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest and the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest.
The 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is currently underway. Note: the deadline date to get books into this year’s contest is February 22, 2013. If you have not already entered, you can submit your book to the Michigan Office at 511 Wilkinson St., Chelsea, MI 48118, U.S.A. If sending your books by mail, allow sufficient time for the books to arrive prior to the deadline. (Any books received after February 22, 2013 will automatically be entered in next year’s award program.)
FanStory offers 50 writing contests every month. On this site, you can participate in free poetry and writing contests, some of which offer cash prizes. According to the website, “a group of readers and professionally published authors sit on the Seal of Quality Committee. They read and discuss every work brought before the committee. When completed with the discussion they write detailed feedback to the author that requested the review about the work.” Each member also votes on whether the work should receive the Seal of Quality. Membership is required.
Royal Dragonfly Book Awards has contests in 50 categories for fiction and nonfiction. Their judges are industry experts with specific knowledge about the categories over which they preside. There is a $50.00 entry fee for this contest. The final deadline for submissions is October 1, 2013
Writer’s Digest hosts fiction writing competitions, poetry writing competitions, short story competitions, screenwriting competitions, self-publishing competitions, creative writing contests and more. Check out their website for more details.
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The Association for Library Service to Children also offers other book contest.
The Brick Road Poetry Press offers a contest for poetry that is “best characterized as entertaining, amusing, edifying, and/or surprising.” There is a $25.00 entry fee and the deadline for submission is November 1, submission accepted starting August 1.
Other websites listing writing contests are
- Poets & Writers
- Creative Writing Contests
- Be a Better Writer
- University of Louisville Create Writing Contest
- Reader’s Digests list of free national writing competitions
- Reader’s Digest Free Writing Contests for when your Wallet is Empty
- Writer’s Relief
Resources
As you can see, there are many contests for you to enter; I’ve listed only a few to demonstrate the plethora of writing contest. I encourage you to enter a contest in your genre. You never know where it will take you.
Have you entered a book writing contests? Are you an award-wining author? If so, tell us your story.
