IPPY AWARD CATEGORIES
Independent Publisher Book Awards are awarded each year in general, regional, and ebook categories. Ebook files can be sent for any entry in all three categories.
All entries, regardless of categories chosen, are automatically considered for special "Outstanding" medals - view last year's Outstanding medalists here.
GENERAL CATEGORIES
- Fine Art
- Performing Arts (Music/Dance/Cinema/Theater)
- Photography
- Architecture
- Coffee Table Books
- Popular Fiction
- Literary Fiction
- Short Story Fiction
- Poetry - Standard
- Poetry - Specialty
- Anthologies
- Juvenile Fiction
- Young Adult Fiction - General
- Young Adult Fiction - Fantasy
- Fantasy
- Science Fiction
- LGBTQ+ Fiction
- Erotica
- Historical Fiction
- Military/Wartime Fiction
- Horror
- Multicultural Fiction
- Multicultural Fiction – Juv-Young Adult
- Mystery
- Suspense/Thriller
- Religious Fiction
- Romance
- Novella/Short Fiction
- Visionary/New Age Fiction
- True Crime
- Graphic Novel/Drawn Book
- Humor
- Children’s Picture Books (7 & Under)
- Children’s Picture Books (All Ages)
- Children’s Interactive
- Juvenile-Young Adult Non-Fiction
- Multicultural Non-Fiction - Juv-Young Adult
- Multicultural Non-Fiction - Adult
- Essay
- Creative Non-Fiction
- Autobiography/Memoir I (Celebrity/Political/Romance)
- Autobiography/Memoir II (Coming of Age/Family Legacy)
- Autobiography/Memoir III (Personal Struggle/Health Issues)
- Biography
- Aging/Death & Dying
- Animals/Pets
- Business/Career/Sales
- Cookbooks- General
- Cookbooks - Specialty
- Current Events I (Political/Economic/Foreign Affairs)
- Current Events II (Social Issues/Humanitarian)
- Education I (Workbook/Resources)
- Education II (Commentary/Theory)
- Nature
- Environment/Ecology
- Finance/Investment/Economics
- LGBTQ+ Non-Fiction
- Gift/Specialty/Journal
- Holiday
- Health/Medicine
- History (U.S.)
- History (World)
- History (Oversized/Coffee Table)
- Inspirational/Spiritual
- New Age / Mind-Body-Spirit
- Parenting
- Popular Culture
- Psychology/Mental Health
- Sports/Fitness/Recreation
- Reference
- Religion (Eastern/Western)
- Science
- Self Help
- Sexuality/Relationships
- Transportation (Auto/Aviation/Railroad)
- Travel – Essay
- Travel – Guidebook
- Women's Issues
- Writing/Publishing
- Book/Author/Publisher Website (note: Please enter website as a separate "Book Title")
- Cover Design – Fiction
- Cover Design – Non-Fiction
- Cover Design - Non-Fiction Oversize
- Best First Book - Fiction
- Best First Book - Juv/YA
- Best First Book - Non-Fiction
- Book Series - Fiction
- (note: Book Series category submissions require at least two volumes, with one volume's copyright/release date falling within the 2021-2023 copyright time frame. Send all volumes for judging but pay just one fee.)
- Book Series - Non-Fiction
- (note: Book Series category submissions require at least two volumes, with one volume's copyright/release date falling within the 2021-2023 copyright time frame. Send all volumes for judging but pay just one fee.)
- Audiobook - Fiction*
- Audiobook - Non-Fiction*
- Audiobook - N-F - Personal
- Audiobook - N-F - Informational
*Please send Audiobook entries as gifts from your chosen platform (e.g. Audible, Libro, Kobo). Send a gift link to us at digital @ jenkinsgroupinc.com. Please do not send actual files!
REGIONAL CATEGORIES
(Awards for “Best Fiction” and “Best Non-Fiction” in each region)
Northeast – ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY
Mid-Atlantic – PA, WV, VA, DE, MD, DC, NJ
Southeast – KY, NC, SC, GA, FL, TN
South – MS, LA, AR, TX, AL
Great Lakes – OH, MI, MN, IN, IL, WI
Plains – IA, MO, OK, KS, NE, SD, ND
West-Mountain – MT, WY, UT, CO, NM, AZ, ID, NV
West-Pacific – CA, OR, WA, HI, AK
Canada–East – ON, QB, NF, NB, NS, PE, Nunavut
Canada-West – BC, AB, SK, MB, NW Territories, Yukon
Australia/New Zealand-Aotearoa/Pacific Rim
Europe
EBOOK CATEGORIES
E1. Best Adult Fiction Ebook
E2. Best Romance/Erotica Ebook
E3. Best Mystery/Thriller Ebook
E4. Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Ebook
E5. Best Adult Non-Fiction Personal Ebook
E6. Best Adult Non-Fiction Informational Ebook
E7. Best Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction Ebook
E8. Best Children’s Illustrated Ebook
E9. Best Regional Ebook – Fiction
E10. Best Regional Ebook – Non-Fiction