What Does a Writing Contest with Added Value Look Like?

I have supported this contest for several years and am proud to recommend it my writers everywhere including my clients and this blog’s subscribers and visitors. ~ CHJ A Great Contest for Your Self-Published or Hybrid-Published Book Sponsored by Winning Writers There are lots of contests for indie books. You can find them listed at the Alliance of Independent Authors and BookBub among other places. Here is what makes our North Street Book Prize one of the best: Large cash prizes: $10,000 for the grand prize, $1,000 for each category winner. Bonus awards: Winners receive additional services from BookBaby, Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Book Award Pro, Laura Duffy Design, Self-Publishing Made Simple, and Winning Writers to help market their books. Free gifts: All contestants receive five free gifts from our co-sponsors. Reasonable entry fee: $79 per book. Many other contests charge $85, $95, even $100+. No need to enter multiple categories: Choose one category for your book. If our judges feel it will do better in another category, they will reassign it. Flexible criteria: Submit books published in any year, on any self-publishing or hybrid-publishing platform. Pro-author attitude: Submit a non-qualifying book by mistake? A duplicate entry? We'll refund your fee. Transparent: We have four judges. Read about them on our guidelines page. Lasting, in-depth publicity: With some contests, it's hard to find out much about past winners beyond the author's name and the book title. At Winning Writers, we publicize our winners through our website, in our newsletter (50,000+ subscribers), and in our social media channels (including 135,000+ Twitter followers). Our North Street contest archives feature critiques of the winning entries, excerpts from the books, and bios of the winners going back to the first contest in 2015. No nickel-and-diming: Some contests charge winners for things like award seals. We provide those for free. Recommended by industry leaders: The North Street Book Prize is recommended by Reedsy and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Winning Writers itself is one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest, 2023). New this year: Everyone who enters online will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges (5-10 sentences). Submit online via Submittable or by mail. Click to learn more about our contest.   Submit your book by July 1

Disclaimer from the blogger: I am one of the proud sponsors of this credible and respected contest for books in several categories.

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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

Free Gifts with Book Contest Submissions

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All North Street Book Prize Contestants Receive Free Gifts Deadline: June 30, 2023 We appreciate that the $75 entry fee is a significant investment for your self-published or hybrid-published book, so we have arranged for our four contest co-sponsors to give free gifts to everycontestant on entering. The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (PDF) Free guides to successful publishing from BookBaby Three months' free subscription to Book Award Pro (Essentials tier), so you can find more great contests for your book A free mini-course, "An Introduction to Self-Publishing", at Self-Publishing Made Simple That's what you get just for entering. Here's what you receive if you win: One grand prize winner will receive $10,000 in cash, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $500 account credit from Book Award Pro, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value) The top winner in each category will receive $1,000 in cash, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value), and one free ad in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $175 value) One honorable mention in each category will receive $300 in cashand three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value) We will publish online excerpts from all entries that win a prize, along with critiques from the judges Submit online via Submittable or by mail. Winning Writers is a partner member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, and this contest is recommended by Reedsy. Click to learn more about our contest.   Learn more and submit here   Prefer to enter by mail?   You may mail your entry and $75 fee to Winning Writers, Attn: North Street Book Prize, 351 Pleasant Street Suite B PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3998, USA. Postmark your entry by June 30.

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER 

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered in its third edition by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," "The Frugal Editor" and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow for news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

WinningWriters.com Announces 2020 Self-Published Contest

I have been excited about the added values of this #NorthStreetBookPrize since its founding.  And now it's time for a new one.  Part of the opportunities offered by WinningWriters.com, it just keeps getting better and better!

 North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books

Deadline: June 30, 2020

Winning Writers will award a grand prize of $5,000 in the sixth annual North Street competition for self-published books, co-sponsored by BookBaby and Carolyn Howard-Johnson (author of The Frugal Book Promoter).

Choose from six categories:

• Mainstream/Literary Fiction
• Genre Fiction
• Creative Nonfiction & Memoir
• Poetry
• Children’s Picture Book
• Graphic Novel & Memoir

$12,500 will be awarded in all, and the top seven winners will receive additional benefits to help market their books. Any year of publication is eligible. Entry fee: $65 per book.

Submit online via Submittable or by mail. Winning Writers is one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" (Writer's Digest). Click to learn more about our contest.

Learn more

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER

 Howard-Johnson is the multi award-wining author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is

also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including the multi award-winning The Frugal Book Promoter (http://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered by Modern History Press in its third edition. Carolyn's latest is in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers is How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. Learn more on her Amazon profile page (http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile). Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers (http://bit.ly/Last-MinuteEditing) is one of her booklets--perfect for inexpensive gift giving--and, another booklet, The Great First Impression Book Proposal (http://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) helps writers who want to be traditionally published. The Frugal Editor (http://bit.ly/FrugalEditor), now in its second edition, is the winningest book in the series. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it will help them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques (http://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs at all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com)

#3DBookImage #GeneCartwright

Choosing "The Right" Contest for Your Book

Subscribers and visitors of this #SharingwithWriters blog know how important I think contests can be to the furthering of authors' careers.  And how carefully I believe they must be in choosing the contests they enter.  My friends at WinningWriters.com  invite you to compete for their third annual North Street Book Prize for self-published books. The winners of our second competition were Winfred Cook, L.S. Johnson, and Linda Baer .

This year's deadline is June 30. Submit a self-published book in one of the following categories, up to 150,000 words in length:

• General Fiction (literary and genre fiction)
• Young Adult Fiction
• Creative Nonfiction and Memoir

The winner of each category will receive $1,500 in cash, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $450 value). Two honorable mentions in each category will receive $250. We will publish online excerpts (1,000-6,000 words) from all entries that win a prize, along with critiques from judges Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche. Lauren Singer and Annie Keithline will assist in the judging.

The entry fee is $60 per book. Your book should be available to the public for sale or download by June 30 to be eligible. Books published in past years are welcome. Submit as many books as you like.

All contestants receive a copy of the third in the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers, the How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (PDF) and free guides to successful publishing from BookBaby.

Both the prizes and the benefits of just entering listed in the paragraph above are examples of the kinds of perquisites I tell authors to watch for. "Caring" and "Sharing" like this can set contests apart from the pack!

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Howard-Johnson is the author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including the award-winning second editions of The Frugal Book Promoter (where she talks more about choosing and the advantages of winning contests and how to use those honors)  and The Frugal Editor. Her latest is in the series is  How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. Learn more on her Amazon profile page, http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile. Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers is one of her booklets--perfect for inexpensive gift giving--and, another booklet, The Great First Impression Book Proposal helps writers who want to be traditionally published. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it will help them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. In addition to this blog, she helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs at all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com )

USA Book News Contest Soon to Close

This came to me too late for the September issue of my #SharingwithWriters newsletter.  I credit USA Book Awards with much of the readership across all of the genres I write in. Awards are great ways to promote books and I talk about that in my The Frugal Book Promoter, but this award is especially impressive at least in part because of its name. And we writers know how much is in a name!

FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE!

The 2015 USA Best Book Awards
12th Annual Awards Sponsored by USA Book News

Enter one of the largest literary awards geared toward the Indie press!

Join over 2000 of your fellow authors and publishers who have already entered this year’s competition.

-Entries must be postmarked on or before September 30, 2015

-Every book entered will receive a bonus 5-month, full color listing on USABookNews.com

-Open to all 2013-2015 Titles

-Entry fee is $69 per title/per category

Winners and finalists will be announced November 2015 just in time for the busy holiday retail season!

http://www.usabooknews.com/2015usabestbookawards.html  

"Book awards do count in marketing and in positioning as a recognized 'go-to' expert. USA Book News and the USA Best Book Awards are always on my recommended list for authors who create quality books to enter. I’ve found that the support from i310 Media Group for winners, both on its websites and with press releases, is exceptional and far beyond what most other awards do."
—Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd, CEO of AuthorU.org

"USA Best Book Awards has a ten year track record of honoring and promoting books to the national and international community. The contest is sponsored by USA Book News which covers books from all sections of the publishing industry—mainstream, independent, & self-published.”
—The San Francisco Book Review

http://www.usabooknews.com/2015usabestbookawards.html

For those who don't want to miss the regular lineup of "Accessible Contests" in my SharingwithWriters newsletter each month, subscribe at htttp://howtodoitfrugally.com. There is a signup form in the upper right corner of most pages.  Also, don't miss the "Writers Resources" section of that Web site which includes a page on contests.


----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The multi award-winning second edition of The Frugal Editor; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .