Those of you who regularly read my blog or follow me on social media have probably noticed I bring up the topic of book awards often. You could say I’m a bit of a pusher. But it’s for good reason! I want all authors to be successful and for their books to get the attention they deserve. One big way to do that is to win a book award. And to win you have to submit! Winning a book award can be a big boost for you and your book, and below I’ll cover five of the big benefits of winning a book award to help convince you to take the plunge.
The Benefits of Winning a Book Award are Totally Worth the Effort
Submission deadlines for book awards vary, but many of them are in the fall and winter seasons. Generally, these awards are for books published within the calendar year though, so you do have to be on top of these deadlines and do a bit of planning ahead. And that’s why I mention them often and remind my readers when it’s time to submit.
I also created a handy, evergreen list of ten prestigious book awards for every type of book out there. I want to make it easy for you!
So being familiar with the book awards out there and having an idea of the deadlines for submission is important, and doesn’t require much effort. Did you know there are even book awards specifically for eBooks? There really is an award for every book! And yes, many of these awards have entry fees. But the benefits of winning a book award are totally worth the bit of effort, and dipping into your marketing budget.
Okay, So What are the Biggest Benefits of Winning a Book Award?
Winning a book award has many benefits besides just bragging rights. You have to think of it as part of your marketing plan to really understand the big difference winning a book award can make.
- Bang for your marketing budget buck!
As I mentioned above, there are usually fees of some sort for submitting your book for an award. The fees are typically in the $50-100 range per title. But considering how much exposure and promotion you get from winning a book award, and the quality of that promotion and exposure it’s worth the cost. Plus, the award speaks for itself, so it’s saving you marketing time and effort.
- Opportunities and Networking
Winning a book award often means attending a ceremony. These are great opportunities for networking and for getting exposure to a wider audience in the industry. Book awards make people take notice! They’re not just for bragging rights. A huge benefit of winning a book award is that you can leverage that win to gain media exposure, and speaking opportunities to name a few.
- A book award lasts a lifetime
While other promotional efforts and marketing tactics can be fleeting and limited in their scope by the constraints of time—for instance, your book release date—a book award is something that will always be there as a signal that your book is worthy. The win is more than the moment, and evergreen. Your book will always be the winner of that award!
- Increased Credibility
A more obvious benefit of winning a book award is, of course, the instant credibility it grants you and your book. When you’re a new author, or unknown in your field, awards and reviews mean a lot. They tell your audience that your book is credible, and that it has value and is quality. This can lead to increased book sales and be a big boost to your author brand.
- A wider reach and a bigger audience
Because a book award can mean more exposure, increased credibility, and more opportunities it also means it will reach a wider audience. The people that may have overlooked your book before because it flew under their radar may now sit up and take notice. These people can become loyal fans too. And loyal fans mean continued attention and success. Plus, it can mean book sellers and libraries will want it, which also means reaching that wider audience.
These are just five of the sometimes overlooked benefits of winning a book award. Your win also gives you an excuse to share more with the world. It’s built in marketing for your book and can be used in many ways. It can open new doors and give you a sense of accomplishment. All this can lead to continued motivation for you to keep going and dreaming even bigger!
So, check out my evergreen list of book awards linked above and see which one is right for you. And then take the next big step—submit your book! Don’t let a good opportunity pass you by.
