How to become an award-winning author in 3 easy steps
Book Award Pro
Like most things in life, achievements worth gaining are earned, not given. This applies to book awards, too.
Validation and awards don’t just fall into your lap and don’t come looking for you. But they are within your reach! To become an award-winning author, you must find and apply for award opportunities. Yet, not just any opportunity will do. To win, you need awards that are ideal for your book.
We know it’s hard to tell what is the right book award opportunity, and with those long lists, it’s impossible to tell which are ideal for your book.
Learn how Book Award Pro can help you become an award-winning author in three easy steps.
Get Your Story Straight
Before we help you become award-winning, you must ensure your book is ready to be considered by judges. You can certainly win awards pre-publication, but your book should have already gone through the editing process.
You should have a couple of paragraphs describing your book, a digital copy of your book, and a digital copy of your book’s cover image ready. If your book is not yet published, the latest version of your book and cover image will work great.
Step 1: Sign Up for the Pro Plan at Book Award Pro
Go to our Get Started page and sign up for the Pro Plan. This plan gives you all the tools to help you become award-winning. Book Award Pro automatically manages the award targeting and submission for you every month.
Once you sign up, fill out your author and book profiles, which only takes a few minutes. If you need help, check out our support article that walks you through the process.
If you have multiple books, consider adding a service plan for each of them. Book Award Pro can simultaneously pursue award opportunities for all of your books.
Step 2: See Your Targeted Match
Now that your book is signed up, you will instantly start receiving award matches that are relevant specifically to your book. You’ll get new, additional award matches every couple of days, so begin to browse the options you have available and come back often.
Over the next few days, our technology will use millions of data points to analyze the award landscape for your book. This “targeting” process pinpoints the one exact award your book is most likely to win right now. Targeting takes away all guesswork and frees up your time so you can focus on writing while we find the right awards.
Connect with Readers
While exploring your award matches, share them with your readers too! We make it simple to grow your audience with every step of your awards journey using our Connect with Readers feature.
Step 3: Get Excited For Award Announcements
This is the easiest step of all! With our Pro Plan, your book is automatically submitted for its one targeted award every month, including the award’s entry fee. We track everything, so you just have to wait until the award announces the winners.
Book Award Pro routinely submits books to thousands of awards around the world. We have years of experience crafting and managing professional submissions, and our expertise is the gold standard for making your book shine.
Don't underestimate the power of a well-written, professionally-managed award submission. We validate all research and ensure your book is presented accurately and skillfully. Any communication with the award must be prompt and professional. That’s why we handle that for you all the way to the finish line. We are constantly in contact with awards organizations, ensuring your book always receives the attention it deserves.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 Monthly
Book awards are part of marketing your story, growing your audience, and selling more books. Gaining validation for your book is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes a little time and persistence, but it is within your reach.
We have authors who have won over 20 awards for just one of their books. We never have a shortage of award opportunities to present. You’ll get new matches to consider every couple of days.
Some of our authors win an award the first time they submit, and others win within six months. We can’t guarantee that your book will be award-winning at any specific time, but we can ensure we will support you and help you get there.
Add Fuel Your Story Marketing
After every monthly submission is complete, it is the perfect time to leverage story marketing by sharing your book's new award nomination with your readers.
Whew, we got the technical definition out of the way. So, what do all those words actually mean, and how do awards fuel story marketing?
You can start story marketing by sharing something personal about yourself and your book. It needs to create a connection with your readers and make them more emotionally attached to your personal story. Book awards are the perfect opportunity to reach readers on a personal level.
Tell your readers you’re applying for awards. They’ll be excited to see your growth when they learn your book is nominated for an award. When fans love your work and feel connected to you, they’ll want to see you succeed, so you keep writing. Don’t hold out on them; encourage your readers to follow your award-winning journey and share every step of the way.
This is just one example of using awards in your story marketing. Be sure to read our story marketing blog for more ways to tell your story in a way that excites your readers, and encourages more book sales.
Become an Award-Winning Author
In just a few months, you can become an award-winning author. Our authors love working with us as much as we love helping them.
Remember, exciting news about your awards journey is a fantastic way to create interest and grow your audience. From award matches to nominations and inspiring wins, you can make every step count to keep readers talking about your book.
If you’re not ready to apply for awards, follow our blog for more tips and ideas to help you grow as an author and expand your book’s reach. We thrive on helping authors reach their goals and can’t wait to be part of your award-winning journey.
