My latest book in the Lottie Albright series, Fractured Families, was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. A friend asked me how books were considered for awards in the first place.
Ha! One of the most humbling processes in this business of becoming a writer is screwing up the courage for BSP (blatant self promotion). There's the awkward feeling that one shouldn't have written the book to begin. A quick walk through Barnes and Noble and one realizes there are so many obviously superior books out there.
In the beginning, to believe your book is deserving of an award is an enormous step. But relax, you don't have to believe anything at all. Just enter the contest anyway.
It's your step to make. I've been the awards chairman for Western Writers of American and judged in all categories. Believe me, you care more about your book than anyone else. It's up to you to enter contests or suggest appropriate entries to your publisher.
Winning a major award increases sales. Each genre has its own treasured equivalency of the Oscar. For members of Mystery Writers of America, its the Edgar, Romance Writer of America, the Rita, Women Writing the West, the Willa, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, the Hugo and Nebula, Western Writers of America, the Spur award.
And of course there are the biggies, such as the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, the Pen/Faulkner Award.
There are many, many more categories, plus regional awards and specialized awards for particular subjects.
As a former awards chairman my best advice is to follow the rules. To the letter. Perfectly. Most writers can also read. Read the rules, then follow them. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
The previous chairman told me I would lose my respect for the publishing industry after serving as an awards chairman. It wasn't that bad, but honestly, to this day I cannot speak of certain company without wiping the froth off my mouth. They submitted a terrific book in the wrong category. It was a non-fiction book about school teachers. I called twice and told them it was incorrectly entered as a first novel. I was thoroughly bawled out and it goes without saying, the book was not resubmitted.
Read the rules! A book previously published in another form in an earlier year cannot be submitted for the current contest. The year it's copyrighted prevails. If forms are required, send them. Sign them. Missing information is a common slip-up. So is missing deadlines. So is sending the wrong number of books to the wrong judges.
Submitting books for awards can be really expensive. Many contests require an entry fee, plus a number of books. The highest number of books I've ever had to submit for an award is seven. For some reason, four sticks in in my mind as the average number. And then there's postage costs. Plus the trauma of wondering if your books have arrived at the destination. I always opt for tracking.
When in doubt, enter! You certainly won't win if you don't try. Writing is a rather lonely profession and there's nothing like an award to boost one's ego and bolster one's resolve to get back to work writing the next book.
And of course there are the biggies, such as the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, the Pen/Faulkner Award.
There are many, many more categories, plus regional awards and specialized awards for particular subjects.
As a former awards chairman my best advice is to follow the rules. To the letter. Perfectly. Most writers can also read. Read the rules, then follow them. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
The previous chairman told me I would lose my respect for the publishing industry after serving as an awards chairman. It wasn't that bad, but honestly, to this day I cannot speak of certain company without wiping the froth off my mouth. They submitted a terrific book in the wrong category. It was a non-fiction book about school teachers. I called twice and told them it was incorrectly entered as a first novel. I was thoroughly bawled out and it goes without saying, the book was not resubmitted.
Read the rules! A book previously published in another form in an earlier year cannot be submitted for the current contest. The year it's copyrighted prevails. If forms are required, send them. Sign them. Missing information is a common slip-up. So is missing deadlines. So is sending the wrong number of books to the wrong judges.
Submitting books for awards can be really expensive. Many contests require an entry fee, plus a number of books. The highest number of books I've ever had to submit for an award is seven. For some reason, four sticks in in my mind as the average number. And then there's postage costs. Plus the trauma of wondering if your books have arrived at the destination. I always opt for tracking.
When in doubt, enter! You certainly won't win if you don't try. Writing is a rather lonely profession and there's nothing like an award to boost one's ego and bolster one's resolve to get back to work writing the next book.
4 comments:
Great post, Charlotte.Especially how it feels to win a contest. When I was writing for young adults, I entered my ms in a writer's conference contest offering a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. When the 3rd place winner was announced, I worried. I knew the writer. She was good. 2nd place was announced, another excellent writer. I knew then I wouldn't place with nothing left but 1st place. My name and title of my book was then called. I had WON. The judge was a top NY editor for Atheneum. Besides the $200 prize that came with the win, she published the book, and six more to follow. You just never know -- unless you enter.
Irene, the biggest shock to me is that I got an award that was totally unexpected. I'm a native Kansan and write about Kansas--so placing as a finalist in the CO Book Award was almost incomprehensible.
My grandchildren simply loved your children's books. I think one of the finest compliments I've ever heard when my Audrey said of your book Before the Lark "it's one of those books that's so good you just wish you hadn't read it yet."
Thanks, Charlotte. Love Audrey's comment. Kind of interesting that the story didn't end -- it continues in my Nickel Hill series, beginning with Miss Royal's Mules, coming out in November.
Can't wait to read Miss Royal's Mules. Love the title.
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