The Storytrade Book Awards celebrate excellence in small and independent publishing, and the program welcomes a wide range of storytellers. Indie authors, self-published writers, university presses, and small or independent presses can all enter, provided their books are written in English. Eligible formats include ebook, paperback, and hardcover titles published in 2025, 2026, or 2027. All submissions must arrive electronically as a PDF, EPUB, MOBI, DOC, or DOCX file—physical copies won’t be opened, and any other format forfeits the entry fee. Once submitted, entries are final, so no revised or updated versions will be accepted. Your work stays confidential, shared only with judges and administrators, and every book file is deleted at the end of each awards cycle. Authors keep all rights to their entries; the goal here is to recognize great books, not to own them.
Entering is simple, and paying early pays off. The regular entry fee is $75, but if you submit before 11:59 p.m. CDT on March 1st, you’ll lock in the Early Bird rate of just $60. Want to compete in more than one category? Each additional category costs $60, and that discount applies to Early Bird entries too. For example, two categories entered before March 1st total $120, while two categories entered afterward total $135. Payments are made online at the time of entry, and if you hit a snag, the support team is ready to help. The final deadline for the 2027 awards is June 30, 2027—anything submitted after that rolls into the following year’s contest. Keep in mind that paying an entry fee doesn’t guarantee an award, and all fees are non-refundable.
Winners and Finalists learn the good news by email in August, giving plenty of time to leverage their new status for fall and holiday promotions. In rare cases of exceptionally high entry volume, notifications may extend into September, but no later. Each category names one Winner and multiple Finalists, with the number of Finalists reflecting the depth of high-quality entries. The line between Winner and Finalist is often finely drawn, and both distinctions help a book stand out to readers. Every Winner and Finalist receives an awards package featuring a medal, 20 book stickers, a digital seal for use online, a permanent listing on the Storytrade website, a Goodreads listing, and added promotion across social media and other channels. Digital seals arrive immediately upon notification, while physical awards ship shortly after. Two standout titles—one fiction and one nonfiction—earn Book of the Year honors and a $1,000 grand prize, and every category Winner is automatically considered.
Behind every result is a team of real people. Human judges read every submission, and they bring genuine industry experience as editors, reviewers, award-winning authors, and booksellers. Entries are evaluated on three qualities: craft, which covers writing skill including grammar, voice, structure, and pacing; excellence, which captures how compellingly the narrative hooks readers and delivers emotional impact and thematic resonance; and innovation, which measures originality and the courage to push a genre’s boundaries. Awards are never granted by default—if a book fails to meet the criteria, no winner is declared in that category, even when it’s the only entry. All judge and entrant information stays confidential and is never sold or shared, and judges’ decisions are final. By entering, you agree to the program’s terms and confirm your understanding of them. Thank you for adding your voice to the literary world through the Storytrade Book Awards.
