More than 40 million Books are available on Amazon.com.
100,000 new titles are added to the Kindle Store every month.
How will you ensure your books stand out to readers in a market with millions of choices?
The best way to move your book ahead of others in your genre(s) is to win an award contest.
The Independent Author Network presents the 2019 IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 36 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes exceeding $6,000 USD.
An Outstanding Book (category winner) will be awarded in each category with recognition of Finalists.
Six outstanding titles will be named the 2019 Books of the Year.
>Winning books will be shared at the IAN Facebook page with over 120,000 fans.
>Winning books will be shared with our 575,000 followers at twitter.
2018 Winners
2017 Winners
2016 Winners
2015 Winners
The 2019 Book of the Year Awards Contest
is Now Closed
Self-Publishing Relief rates the
IAN Book of the Year Awards as one of the....
"Westwind Communications" names
The IAN Book of the Year Awards as one of the....
Eligibility
The IAN Book of the Year Awards is open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.
We do not have a publication/copyright date requirement or word count restriction. Authors retain all rights. International entries will be accepted as long as the work is in English.
>Entrants are not required to forfeit rights to their work.
Judging
Our judges are experienced reviewers, authors, publishers, and editors. Awards are based upon various criteria and the judges’ decisions are final.
>Click to Meet the Judges
Judges do not return written“reviews” for entered books.
Qualities we are looking for in this year's submissions:
Fiction
Vibrant covers, attention-grabbing openings, memorable characters, crisp dialogue, captivating and original plots, and climactic, memorable endings.
Non-fiction
A descriptive and inviting title with organized, well-researched material on a subject that is timely and/or timeless, unique, or presented in a unique way that appeals to a wide audience.
Submissions (2019)
The 2019 Contest is NOW CLOSED.
Submissions (2020)
Submissions will be accepted from October 1, 2019 to August 9, 2020. There is no limit to the number of titles you can enter in the 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards. Entries submitted after August 9, 2020 will be entered in our 2021 contest.
Entry Fee (2020)
Enter until the Contest Deadline on August 9, 2020 and pay only $49 for the first category and $35 for each additional category (No limit)
IAN Member Discounted Entrance Fee> $39 for the first category and $30 for each additional category (No limit)
2019 Categories
Fiction
# Code, Genre
(01) Action/Adventure
(02) Christian Fiction
(03) Fantasy
(04) First Novel*
(05) Historical Fiction
(06) Horror
(07) Humor/Comedy/Satire (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
(08) Literary Fiction/General
(09) Mystery
(10) Paranormal/Supernatural
(11) Romance
(12) Science Fiction
(13) Novella **
(14) Thriller/Suspense
(15) Women's Fiction/Chick Lit
(16) LGBTQ (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
(17) Young Adult/Teen/New Adult
(18) Children's/Juvenile Fiction
(19) Children's Fiction Illustrated
Non-Fiction
# Code, Genre
(20) Children's/Juvenile Non-Fiction
(21) Young Adult Non-Fiction
(22) Business/Sales/Economics
(23) Career/Occupational
(24) First Non-fiction*
(25) General Non-fiction
(26) History (Non-fiction)
(27) Education/Reference
(28) Health/Medicine/Fitness/Food/Dieting
(29) Memoir/Biography/Autobiography
(30) Parenting/Family/Relationships
(31) Religion/Christian Non-Fiction
(32) Self-Help
(33) Spiritual/Inspirational
(34) Travel/Nature/Photography
(35) Human Interest (Men’s/Women’s Issues/Aging/Retirement)
(36) Art/Music/Performing Arts
*First Novel or First Non-fiction book. You may have published subsequent books, however, this entry must be your first published Novel or Non-Fiction.
**Novella. This entry must have a max 50,000 words. (All other categories have NO word count restriction)
Announcements (2019)
~The Contest is Now Closed
~The Winners and Finalists will be contacted and announced on October 13, 2019.
~Only Winners and Finalists will be contacted by email.
2019 Prizes
Finalists in each Category will receive:
The Outstanding Book in each category will receive:
FICTION: The Book of the Year - First Place will receive:
FICTION: The Book of the Year - Second Place will receive:
FICTION: The Book of the Year - Third Place will receive:
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - First Place will receive:
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - Second Place will receive:
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - Third Place will receive:
The Finalists, Category Winners, and Book of the Year winners will all be announced in Press Releases after their announcement day.
Only Winners and Finalists will be contacted by email.
Cash prizes will be delivered via PayPal.
The IAN Book of the Year Awards is open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.
We do not have a publication/copyright date requirement or word count restriction. Authors retain all rights. International entries will be accepted as long as the work is in English.
>Entrants are not required to forfeit rights to their work.
Judging
Our judges are experienced reviewers, authors, publishers, and editors. Awards are based upon various criteria and the judges’ decisions are final.
>Click to Meet the Judges
Judges do not return written“reviews” for entered books.
Qualities we are looking for in this year's submissions:
Fiction
Vibrant covers, attention-grabbing openings, memorable characters, crisp dialogue, captivating and original plots, and climactic, memorable endings.
Non-fiction
A descriptive and inviting title with organized, well-researched material on a subject that is timely and/or timeless, unique, or presented in a unique way that appeals to a wide audience.
Submissions (2019)
The 2019 Contest is NOW CLOSED.
Submissions (2020)
Submissions will be accepted from October 1, 2019 to August 9, 2020. There is no limit to the number of titles you can enter in the 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards. Entries submitted after August 9, 2020 will be entered in our 2021 contest.
Entry Fee (2020)
Enter until the Contest Deadline on August 9, 2020 and pay only $49 for the first category and $35 for each additional category (No limit)
IAN Member Discounted Entrance Fee> $39 for the first category and $30 for each additional category (No limit)
2019 Categories
Fiction
# Code, Genre
(01) Action/Adventure
(02) Christian Fiction
(03) Fantasy
(04) First Novel*
(05) Historical Fiction
(06) Horror
(07) Humor/Comedy/Satire (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
(08) Literary Fiction/General
(09) Mystery
(10) Paranormal/Supernatural
(11) Romance
(12) Science Fiction
(13) Novella **
(14) Thriller/Suspense
(15) Women's Fiction/Chick Lit
(16) LGBTQ (Fiction and Non-Fiction)
(17) Young Adult/Teen/New Adult
(18) Children's/Juvenile Fiction
(19) Children's Fiction Illustrated
Non-Fiction
# Code, Genre
(20) Children's/Juvenile Non-Fiction
(21) Young Adult Non-Fiction
(22) Business/Sales/Economics
(23) Career/Occupational
(24) First Non-fiction*
(25) General Non-fiction
(26) History (Non-fiction)
(27) Education/Reference
(28) Health/Medicine/Fitness/Food/Dieting
(29) Memoir/Biography/Autobiography
(30) Parenting/Family/Relationships
(31) Religion/Christian Non-Fiction
(32) Self-Help
(33) Spiritual/Inspirational
(34) Travel/Nature/Photography
(35) Human Interest (Men’s/Women’s Issues/Aging/Retirement)
(36) Art/Music/Performing Arts
*First Novel or First Non-fiction book. You may have published subsequent books, however, this entry must be your first published Novel or Non-Fiction.
**Novella. This entry must have a max 50,000 words. (All other categories have NO word count restriction)
Announcements (2019)
~The Contest is Now Closed
~The Winners and Finalists will be contacted and announced on October 13, 2019.
~Only Winners and Finalists will be contacted by email.
2019 Prizes
Finalists in each Category will receive:
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
The Outstanding Book in each category will receive:
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
FICTION: The Book of the Year - First Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $1,500
- A Platinum membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
FICTION: The Book of the Year - Second Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $1,000
- A Gold membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
FICTION: The Book of the Year - Third Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $500
- A Silver membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - First Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $1,500
- A Platinum membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - Second Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $1,000
- A Gold membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
NON-FICTION: The Book of the Year - Third Place will receive:
- A minimum cash prize of $500
- A Silver membership at the Independent Author Network
- A digital award seal in a PNG file
- A roll of award seal stickers for print copies
The Finalists, Category Winners, and Book of the Year winners will all be announced in Press Releases after their announcement day.
Only Winners and Finalists will be contacted by email.
Cash prizes will be delivered via PayPal.
$1 from each entry fee will be donated to FirstBook.org
First Book provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 125 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities. First Book now has offices in the U.S. and Canada. See more at: FirstBook.org.
A Thank You Message from First Book
First Book provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 125 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities. First Book now has offices in the U.S. and Canada. See more at: FirstBook.org.
A Thank You Message from First Book
