Self-Published E-book Awards

ENTER NOW! Early-Bird Deadline: 8/16/21. Writer’s Digest’s Self-Published E-book Awards is currently accepting entries. This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for self-published e-books.

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Updated:: Jul 12, 2021
Original:: Jun 10, 2017

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EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: AUGUST 16, 2021

Writer’s Digest’s 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards honors the best self-published e-book(s) in eight of the most popular categories with $5,000 in cash, a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in New York City.

In addition to $13,000 in total cash prizes, all entrants will receive a brief review of their book from one of Writer’s Digest’s competition readers.

PRIZES

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

$5,000 in cash
Featured interview in the May/June 2022 issue of Writer’s Digest
Winning book excerpted on WritersDigest.com
A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot
One year Subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine

One First Prize winner in each category will receive:

$1,000 in cash
Announcement in Writer’s Digest’s May/June 2022 issue
Promotion on WritersDigest.com
One year Subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine

Honorable Mention Winners will receive $50 gift certificate to Writer’s Digest Shop and an announcement on WritersDigest.com.

Finalists will be announced on WritersDigest.com.

CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS

Contemporary Fiction: A work of fiction set in modern times with themes and/or subject matter that reflects this specific moment.Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Romance: Historical or contemporary, paranormal or suspenseful, chaste or sexy, LGBTQ+, no matter the path you take, don’t forget to deliver a satisfying happy ending.Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Fantasy: High or urban, historical or alternate histories, introduce us to new worlds and fantastic ideas that exceed the boundaries of our own reality.Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Science Fiction: Space opera or hard science, cyberpunk or steampunk, introduce us to new worlds, alternate histories, or fantastic ideas that push the boundaries of our own reality.Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Mystery/Thriller: From the classic whodunits and police procedurals to high stakes conflicts with ever-increasing tension, hook us from the start and keep us guessing until the end.Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Young Adult: Your preferred genre(s) but written specifically for readers age 12-18.Typical length: 30,000 to 100,000 words. There are no limits for submissions; novellas to epics are all welcomed.
Narrative Nonfiction: Journalists and storytellers whose nonfiction work reads like it could be fiction (but isn’t!) should apply to this category which includes memoirs, biographies, historical narratives, popular science, travel writing, essay collections, etc. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words.
Prescriptive/Informative Nonfiction: Subject-matter experts who aim to instruct or inform readers will find a home for their work in this category, which consists primarily of research-based works such as travel guides, cookbooks, how-to guides/reference, self-help, business, etc. Typical length: 40,000 to 100,000 words.

The typical length is a reference point only. There are no word requirements for submissions.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to self-published authors of English-language e-books which were published (or revised and republished) electronically between 2016 and 2021. (Writer’s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.) Authors who subvent publication of their e-books via independent publishers who publish fewer than 12 e-books/year are also eligible.
Authors who have published in print via a traditional publisher but retained their e-book rights and self-published or subvented publication via independent publishers who publish fewer than 12 e-books/year are also eligible. Entries will be evaluated on craft, category relevance, formatting and overall quality of production, including cover image.

HOW TO ENTER

You must register and submit your e-book online.
You may enter more than one e-book and/or more than one category/e-book, however, you must submit each book separately and pay the additional fee for each entry.
We accept PayPal or credit card payment for the required judging fee. Entry fees are non-refundable. Due to U.S. Government restrictions we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea..
For more information visit our Preparing Your Entry Page or our FAQ page.

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