Guidelines

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Everything you need to know about entering the IPPY Awards

The IPPY Awards are all about celebrating the diversity and excellence in the independent publishing world. Open to authors and publishers from around the globe, these awards recognize fantastic books written in English for the North American market.

We’ve got everything you need to know about eligibility, entry fees, submission guidelines, deadlines, and the judging process here. Have any additional questions? Send us a message today.

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WHO CAN ENTER

If you’re an independent publisher, a university press, a self-publisher, or an independent author in North America—or even an overseas publisher or author who creates books for an English-speaking audience—you’re eligible to enter. Authors are welcome to enter their books themselves.

We define “independent” as:

Independently owned and operated (no title per year limit).
Operated by a foundation or university (no title per year limit).
Long-time independents that became conglomerated but operate autonomously and publish fewer than 100 titles a year.

ELIGIBILITY

Books released with 2023, 2024 or 2025 copyrights are eligible. When you submit, just pick the category and/or region that fits your book best (check out our category list for details).

For regional entries, it helps if the subject matter relates to the area you’re entering. For example, if you have a book by an author from Quebec that’s about a murder in Maine, it’ll likely shine brightest in the Northeast U.S. region. So, think about where your book will resonate most and make your decision based on where it sells best.

ENTRY FEES

Our entry fees are as follows:

August - October 14, 2024: $79
October 15 - December 16, 2024: $89
December 17 - March 16, 2025: $99

You can submit your book for more than one category—just keep in mind that each entry does require a fee. If you’re entering the same title into multiple categories, please pay the fee and send a copy of your book for each category.

You can send multiple entries in one package, and if you're paying by check or money order, you can combine the entry fees into a single amount. Just make sure to include your completed entry form or online registration receipt in the same package as the books.

A quick note: Due to new banking policies, we can only accept personal checks from outside the United States if they’re drawn from a U.S. currency account and have "U.S. DOLLARS" printed on them.

WHAT TO SEND

When you enter, make sure to send in one copy of your book for each category and region you’re entering, with the entry form or your online receipt tucked inside the front cover. For example, if you're entering two categories and one regional competition, you'll need to send in three books.

After you pay online, you’ll have the option to upload electronic submissions, and you’ll get a confirmation email with all the details. Just a heads-up: all books entered will become the property of Jenkins Group and will eventually be donated to libraries and charities. Plus, eBook files will be deleted after the results are announced.

Remember, judges will only see the book itself, so please don’t send any press kits, reviews, bookmarks, etc.If you’d rather submit an eBook, send a PDF or a gift from a platform like Amazon or Book Baby. For General or Regional categories, you can email your file or gift to info@ippyawards.com.

DEADLINES

Our early-bird deadlines in September and November are here to help you get your entries in at the lowest price. Just remember, all entries need to be posted online or postmarked by the final deadline of March 16, 2025.

Once you submit, we'll confirm your entry via email and keep you updated with news about judging and when the results will be announced. To make sure you don’t miss any of our updates, please add our email addresses to your contacts!

JUUDGING PROCESS

Our judging process focuses on the quality of content, originality, design, and production, with a special emphasis on innovation and social relevance. We’re proud to have a talented panel of judges who are experts in editing, design, reviewing, bookselling, and library science.

Judges give numerical ratings in each of these six criteria:

First Impression: Does the book’s cover and design make you want to pull it off the shelf?
Design: How well do the cover and interior layout engage and please the reader?
Originality: Is the book’s approach fresh and innovative?
Use of Language: Is the writing engaging and well-crafted?
Message Delivery: Does the book effectively deliver its promised message?
Relevance: Is the book’s content timely and significant?

RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT

Three to six medalists per category will be named on May 9th, 2025. A special celebration will take place after, which we’ll share more details about as the announcement approaches.

Once you submit your entry, we'll confirm it via email and keep you updated with judging progress and results announcements. So, be sure to provide a valid email address. To make sure you receive our messages, add info@ippyawards.com to your contacts. Then if you change your email or want to add anyone else to our contest update list, just let us know.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Every medal-winning book will be celebrated with a special packet that includes a shiny gold, silver, or bronze medal, a personalized certificate, and 20 beautiful foil seals. Plus, winners will receive fantastic publicity, including coverage at our awards event and a print and online advertising campaign on popular sites like Shelf Awareness and Publishers Weekly. Your book will also enjoy a whole year of exposure on IndependentPublisher.com.

It’s made a huge difference in my sales, and was the key factor in convincing me to go to a second printing. The IPPY gold seal looks great on the new cover, and I think it’s opening some doors to publication reviews.