No matter what kind of writing you do, all authors can agree on one thing: book marketing is hard. But there is a strategy you can use that pays off in multiple ways, including recognition, prizes, credibility, and advertising. So let’s talk about book awards, or accolades, today—what book accolades are, why to bother with them, how to use them, where to look for awards, and how to evaluate them.

What Are Book Awards?

Book awards provide validation and public recognition for your book—and credibility for you as an author. Literary accolades are a way to celebrate your contribution to the world of writing and publishing.

Why Bother with Book Awards?

Some awards are well known, like the Pulitzer Prize, Booker Prize, Caldecott Medal, or Edgar Award. But many lesser-known awards also come with fantastic benefits, so awards are worth investigating.

Even if you don’t win an award you’ve applied for, many awards provide bonus benefits for entrants, so you’ll gain something just by applying. Depending on the contest, you may receive feedback from the judges on your cover design, a complimentary editorial review, sales support, or publicity.

And as you move through the competition, you can use your progress to fuel your marketing efforts. Being a semifinalist, finalist, or winner can go a long way toward persuading potential readers to pick up your book.

How Can You Use Book Awards for Marketing?

The awards process is a marketing gold mine from start to finish. Once you’re ready to apply, use these six tips to make the most of your awards journey.

1. Reach Your Goals

How do you want to use your book? Whatever your goal is, accolades can help you get there.

• Traditional publication: Awards can add weight to your query letters, even if you haven’t published yet.
• Publicity: Awards—even those you don’t win—get more eyes on your book.
• Career opportunities: Expand your options with speaking gigs, podcasts, or readings.
• Authority: Having accolades helps you position yourself as an authority and command higher fees.
• Attention: Share your story and link to a nonprofit or cause you support.

2. Engage Your Readers

This is a great time to reengage with your audience.

• Refresh your newsletter with updates on your awards journey.
• Share some context on social media. What does this award recognize and why did you choose to apply?
• Use the application process as a behind-the-scenes look at your business.
• Do a flashback—how it started versus how it’s going.

3. Share Your Story

Going through the awards process provides lots of social media opportunities.

• Revisit your reason for writing this book.
• Capture easy promotion moments, from your application to your final round.
• Tag the award in your social media posts.
• Use a new set of hashtags to reach new audiences.

4. Create Awareness in Your Community

Supporting local businesses and creators is important to many people. Capitalize on that by sharing your news locally.

• Contact local news outlets, magazines, or social media groups.
• Offer signings at bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops.
• Tell your friends and family.
• Share the news with any organizations you’re a member of.

5. Celebrate with Your Book Design

Book awards come with opportunities to refresh your look.

• Add an award seal to your cover design, spine, or back cover.
• Use new endorsements, showing credibility and social proof.
• Include award-winning language in the text on your book jacket.

6. Refresh Your Author Branding

Remember, it’s ok to be proud of your accomplishments.

• Update your speaker bio.
• Incorporate a blurb into your email signature.
• Revise your professional profiles.
• Add award-winning language to your website and social media profiles.
• Freshen up your media kit and printed materials with your award information.

Where Do You Find Book Awards?

Ok, you’re ready to dive into the world of book accolades. But where do you look first?

Sure, you could Google it or ask an AI bot to research awards for you. But bots don’t always provide accurate information, and Google will return more search results than anyone has time to look through—and those results aren’t specific to your book.

Plus, each award has different submission requirements, and it’s challenging to keep up with all the different steps and deadlines.

That’s why I recommend Book Award Pro. It’s the world’s largest database of legitimate accolades for writers.

They’ll find awards tailored to your genre, format, publication date, etc. And if your marketing budget is tight, there’s a free option you can use. Book Award Pro matches your book with reviews and awards that you’re eligible for, even if your book has already been published or is part of a series.

And even better, they’ll narrow your list of eligible awards to those that will create the best opportunities for your book, saving you time and money.

*Disclaimer—I’m not an affiliate of Book Award Pro. I just like their product.*

Aren’t Book Awards Scams?

It’s true that there are some bad actors in every field. If an organization isn’t honoring its commitments and promises to authors, then it is a scam. Even if the organization does honor its promise, the result still may not be what you expected. Is it worth your time and money to enter a competition where everyone receives a participation badge? Probably not.

Being cautious is smart, and doing your homework is important. Use these three questions to evaluate any award competition before you enter:

• Does this award recognize what you want it to recognize?
• Can you afford it?
• Does a high entry fee come with bonus benefits or extra marketing?

For a full discussion of book award scams, refer to Writer Beware’s detailed review.

Want extra support when vetting literary contests? Book Award Pro validates each award before recommending it, and they have an ongoing exam process to ensure that authors get good value and receive what they are promised.

Takeaways

Book marketing is a long-term commitment. That’s one of the reasons book awards are valuable for authors—the accolade process provides countless advertising opportunities. Finding the accolades you’re eligible for can be a bit of a process, and evaluating any award is crucial before applying. Remember, support for vetting and tracking awards is available. And there’s more to gain from awards than just marketing. You can get attention from traditional publishers, grow your audience, get professional feedback on your writing and design, promote a cause, reengage with your readers, and more.

Need some help getting your submission materials ready? Or maybe you’re ready to update your book designs and marketing materials. Either way, contact me! I’d love to support you on your awards journey, from editing application materials to refining your book descriptions and author bios. Together, we can make your writing bulletproof.