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Recognizing Excellence in Independent Publishing
Frequently Asked Questions
Mailing Address for sending books:
IPPY AWARDS
Jenkins Group
1129 Woodmere Ave, Ste B
Traverse City, MI 49686
Who enters the IPPY Awards?
All independent publishers are eligible, ranging from self-published authors to major university presses. About 2,400 publishers participate in the Awards each year, from every U.S. State, Canada, and English-speaking countries overseas around the world. The 2016 IPPY Awards attracted 5,500 total entries; winners came from 42 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, six Canadian provinces, and nine countries overseas.
Are awards programs worth the money and effort?
Entering your titles in awards programs does take time, money, and effort, but the payoffs include increased visibility, credibility, P.R. value, personal satisfaction, and prestige. Awards are a great morale boost for all those involved, and they influence reviewers and buyers. An award seal on a book's cover increases retail sales.
What sets the IPPY Awards apart?
IPPY Award entrants have four ways to win: the National, Regional, E-Book and Outstanding Books of the Year (which all entrants are considered for with no extra fee). Award winners are headlined on our website, IndependentPublisher, and are featured prominently in articles in our monthly newsletter, which goes out to over 15,000 subscribers worldwide, many of whom are agents, buyers, and librarians.
If I enter the IPPY Awards online, how do you judge my books?
Once you have entered online, please send a copy of your book to the address provided or upload one file for your ebook. Please send one print copy for each print category entered-- but just one ebook is required, regardless of the number of categories. We suggest (but don't require) you send a trackable package. Please include the online entry receipt with the book, or a note listing contact and category information. We do send confirmation by email when your entry is received and processed. Multiple entries may be sent in the same package.
Do the judges read every book from cover to cover?
Book awards judges are very good at assessing a book's quality, much as a buyer at a bookstore or library determines whether or not to purchase. The further a book makes it into the judging process, especially in fiction categories, the more likely it will be read completely.
How do I submit my ebook entry?
Once you’ve entered online, your ebook file must be submitted electronically. Ebooks may be submitted in any commonly used format (e.g. .PDF, .MOBI, .EPUB). You will have the option to upload your ebook after you pay online and also via an upload link that will come along with your entry confirmation email receipt. Electronic submissions will be erased at the end of the contest, after results are announced. Do not upload Word documents, as they will not be accepted for judging.
If my book is only available as an ebook can I enter it in a National or Regional category?
Yes. Ebook entries may be submitted to any IPPY category. The ebook specific categories were created to recognize outstanding ebooks in a range of subjects, but ebooks are not limited to those categories
How do I choose the correct Regional category?
Regional categories seek to find books which best represent a particular region. Each region is divided into Best Fiction and Best Non-Fiction. Your regional selection should be based on the subject matter or setting of your book. For example, a history book about Chicago belongs in Great Lakes Non-Fiction while a mystery set in Los Angeles belongs in West Pacific Fiction.
If I pay by check , do I need to send a check for each category?
No. Books and payment arrive together, so one check covering all fees is preferred.
When do you announce the winners?
The actual date varies year to year, but it is generally 6 weeks after the final entry deadline, and typically early to mid-April. The award ceremony is traditionally held on the eve of the BookExpo America conference, usually held at the end of May.
Please contact Jim Barnes, Awards Director with any other questions.
