Answers to Your Questions and FAQ

1. What is the Next Generation Indie Book Awards?

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards (the "Indie Book Awards") is the most rewarding and exciting book awards program for independent publishers and authors worldwide.

The Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in 60 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency.

2. Who can enter the 2010 Indie Book Awards?

The 2010 Indie Book Awards is open to all indie publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors based in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book written in English and released in 2009 or 2010 or with a 2009 or 2010 copyright date.

3. What makes the Indie Book Awards so special?

The Indie Book Awards is the only awards program of its kind because cash prizes and/or awards and maximum exposure (even possible representation) with a leading New York literary agent are given to the top 60 books entered.

4. What are the cash prizes and awards given out for the 2010 Indie Book Awards?

$1,500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the best Fiction Book
$1,500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the best Non-Fiction Book
$750 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the second best Fiction Book
$750 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the second best Non-Fiction Book
$500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the third best Fiction Book
$500 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the third best Non-Fiction Book
$250 Cash Prize and trophy awarded to the Best Cover Design Book entry
$100 Cash Prize (NEW THIS YEAR!) and a Gold Medal awarded to the winner of each of the 60 categories
Finalist Medals will be awarded to up to three finalists in each of the 60 categories

5. What other benefits will Winners and Finalists receive?

In addition to the recognition and prestige of having an award-winning book, Finalists and Winners will also receive the following:

A listing in the Indie Book awards Catalog which will be distributed to book buyers, media, and others!
Exposure for a full year at www.IndieBookAwards.com as a Winner or Finalist.
The opportunity to display Finalist or Winner gold award stickers on your book.
Other benefits of an award-winning book (such as potential increased revenue).
PLUS, the top 60 books will be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency or one of Ms. Allen's co-agents for possible representation (unless an entrant prefers not to have the book forwarded to an agent).

6. What is the benefit of having my book reviewed by a literary agent?

Having your book reviewed by a literary agent may lead to representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights, and other rights or it may lead to representation to major publishing houses.

Many Indie publishers and authors know it is difficult to get a book in front of a leading New York literary agent or major publishers because they are swamped with requests from individuals to review their books. Many quality books never get seen because there are hundreds of thousands of books released each year in the U.S. and industry experts don't have the time and resources to review all of them. The New York Times reported in April, in 2007 "a whopping 400,000 books" were published in the United States, "up from 300,000 in 2006." According to Bowker, publisher of the Books in Print database, preliminary data for 2008 shows that more than 560,000 books were published last year alone, an astounding increase of 160,000 more books from the year before. However, if your book is selected as one of the top 60 books, it will be forwarded to a leading literary agent for review (unless you prefer not to have your book forwarded to the agent).

7. What is the literary agent's background?

Marilyn Allen is a leading New York literary agent with Allen O'Shea Literary Agency. Ms. Allen has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience, including serving as Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Director of Marketing for Harper Collins and directing sales and marketing teams for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books and Avon Books.

Ms. Allen has had the pleasure of working with many best-selling authors including Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Gray, Mary Higgins Clark, and many more.

8. What if my book is selected as one of the top 60 books and I don't want it forwarded to the literary agent?

We understand that some entrants may prefer to not have their book forwarded to the literary agent because they already have their own representation or for other reasons.

You can opt out of having your book forwarded to the Literary Agent by simply checking off the opt out box on the entry form.

9. How does the judging work?

All books are judged for their content. The judges include expert editors, writers and publishers in the book publishing industry.

Entrants can also enter their books in the best design categories and these categories will be judged by a team of professional book designers in the book publishing industry.

Click here to read bios of the judges of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

10. When are entries being accepted and what is the deadline for entry?

Entries are being accepted now for the 2010 Indie Book Awards. The deadline for entry is March 10, 2010.

11. What are the Entry Fees for the 2010 Indie Book Awards?

The entry fee is $75 per title for the first category entered and $50 for each additional category entered. For example, if three categories are entered for one title the total entry fee will be $175 ($75 for the first category plus $50 for the second category plus $50 for the third category).

12. What forms of payment are accepted to pay the Entry Fees?

You can pay by Visa or MasterCard credit card (we do not accept American Express) through PayPal or you can pay by a company check or an International money order made payable to Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group. (Note: Personal checks are not accepted and if paying by money order it must be an International money order.)

13. How can I enter the 2010 Indie Book Awards?

SUMMARY OF ENTRY GUIDELINES

Select the category or categories you wish to enter
Complete the online entry form or Word or PDF version of the entry form
Make payment of entry fee(s)
Submit completed entry form, entry fees and books by no later than March 10, 2010 to:

Next Generation Indie Book Awards
511 Wilkinson St.
Chelsea, MI 48118
U.S.A.

To get more details on how to enter the 2010 Indie Book Awards Click here to go to Entry Guidelines

14. How many titles can I enter in the 2010 Indie Book Awards?

There is no limit to the number of titles you can enter in the 2010 Indie Book Awards.

15. How many categories can I enter per title?

You can enter as many categories as you like per title. We recommend selecting the categories you wish to enter based on which categories most apply to your book or to your marketing strategies.

For example, if you have a historical and multicultural romance novel, you may choose to enter the Romance, Multicultural Fiction and Historical Fiction categories and possibly even other relevant categories. Alternatively, you may choose to only enter one of these categories. The choice is yours!

16. What are the categories for this years awards program?

Click here to see categories

17. When will I be notified if my book has been selected as a Finalist or Winner?

Finalists of the 2010 Indie Book Awards will be notified by May 15, 2010 and Winners will be announced shortly after that (later in May).

18. Why wasn't my book chosen as a finalist or winner (particularly in a category where 10 finalists were not chosen)? Can I get feedback from the judges on my book?

Although we don't provide individual feedback, if a book was not selected it's likely there was a lot of excellent competition in the category or the book may need more editing or did not fit the genre entered.

19. What will happen to my books after the contest is over?

If your book is one of the top 60 books one copy of it will be sent to Marilyn Allen, Literary Agent, for review by Ms. Allen or one of Ms. Allen's co-agents. All other books will be donated to libraries and/or schools, or organizations such as senior centers, hospices and other care centers.

20. Do you have any testimonials for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards?

Yes, click here to read Testimonials for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (opens in a new window).