The Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPYs) celebrate the best independently published books of the year. We cover a wide range of categories, including general, regional, and eBook publishing. If you’d like to dive deeper into what the awards are all about, click here to learn more!

You can submit your book through the IPPY Awards online entry form or by mail. Physical copies are typically required for print books. Click here to enter. We’re excited to see what you’ve created!

Any independent author, publisher, or self-published author from around the world can enter books published within the eligible date range. Check out our guidelines on this page.

Learn more about our entry fees here.

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:

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

The IPPYs have over 100 categories, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, regional books, and specialty areas like children’s books and cookbooks. See our full list of categories here.

As a medalist, you’ll receive a shiny gold, silver, or bronze medal, along with a beautiful certificate and foil seals to showcase your achievement. Plus, your book will get a whole year of promotion through the IPPY Awards website and our social media channels, helping you reach new readers. 

Winning an IPPY can boost your credibility, leading to increased sales and media opportunities. You’ll also join a fantastic community of fellow award-winning authors and publishers, opening doors for networking and collaboration. It’s an exciting way to celebrate your hard work and creativity!

Learn more about our announcement dates here.

Winning an IPPY is an incredible opportunity that brings a wealth of benefits. Not only do you gain recognition in the publishing community, but you also boost your credibility, making your work stand out in a competitive market.

Plus, you’ll enjoy extensive promotional opportunities, including features on the IPPY website and social media, which can help you connect with new readers and increase your book sales.

But don’t just take our word for it—check out the testimonials from previous medalists to see how winning has impacted their careers and opened doors for them. Submit your book today to join us!

You can order IPPY merch by visiting our store on this page.

Find resources below related to publishing a book, from design to editing. These articles are collected from Independent Publisher as well as from our favorite blogs and websites.*

General

• 5 Things to Do Before Publishing Your Book: How to Put Your Best Foot Forward. Independent Publisher.
• Behind the Scenes at a Publishing House: What Really Happens to Your Book? Independent Publisher.
• How to (Self) Publish: The Ins and Outs of Popular Publishing Paths. Independent Publisher. 
• Four Reasons Hybrid Publishing Worked for Me: An IPPY Winner Shares Her Experience. Independent Publisher.
• A History of Indie Publishing: Infographic. Independent Publisher. 
• Subscription and Serialization: What These Strategies Do for Books Today. Independent Publisher.
• Should I Start My Own Publishing Company? The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing as a Business. Independent Publisher.
• Why Big Authors Self-Publish: And Why You Should Too. Independent Publisher.

Agents & QUERIES

• Agent 101: What Every Author Should Know About Literary Agents. Independent Publisher.
• How to Find a Literary Agent The Manuscript, the Query, and More. Independent Publisher.
• The Role of the Literary Agent: What They Do and Why You (Might) Need One. Independent Publisher.
• Pitch Perfect: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Query Process. Independent Publisher.
• To Query or Not to Query: Your Top Six Querying Questions Answered. Independent Publisher.

EBOOKS

• Speaking in Code: Ebook HTML Basics. The Book Designer. 

Editing

• Editor Insider: The Best Tips from an Editing Pro. Independent Publisher.

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

• 5 Book Binding Styles Illustrated. The Book Designer. 
• Amalia’s Steps to Successful Book Production: How to Get from a Vision to an Award-Winning Book. Independent Publisher.
• How to Create Your ARC Cover. The Book Designer. 
• Working with Cover and Interior Designers. The Book Designer. 

COVER DESIGN

• 9 Tips to Building the Book Cover Design You Always Wanted. Jane Friedman.

INTERIOR

• The Architecture of the Book Page. The Book Designer.

Funding

• Funding Your Book: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck. Independent Publisher.
• What Publishing Really Costs: From Editing to Marketing, Know the Price Tag. Independent Publisher.

*The Independent Publisher Book Awards are not affiliated with all of the websites and organizations linked here, and do not endorse all their opinions and views. These resources are meant to be informative, but – as always – please use your own judgment when following online advice!

Find resources below related to marketing and selling your book, from social media to public relations. We collected these articles from Independent Publisher, as well as from some of our favorite blogs and websites.*

Jump to: Book Awards, Platform, Publicity, Social Media, Sales, Distribution. 

MARKETING & PUBLICITY

GENERAL

• Dissecting the Bestsellers of Self-Publishing: What You Can Learn from Self-Published Success Stories. Independent Publisher.
• How to Build Pre-Book Buzz: Marketing to the Industry Before Your Publication Date. Independent Publisher.
• The Almighty Book Review: How to Get Reviews and Where to Get Them. Independent Publisher.
• Guerilla Book Marketing, IPPY-Style: Indie Marketing Lessons for Self-Publishers with Michaelene McElroy. Independent Publisher.
• Cinematic Marketing: All About Book Trailers. Independent Publisher.
• Personality Sells Books. Independent Publisher.

BOOK AWARDS

• You Won a Book Award – Now What?: 10 Ways to Market Your Book After Winning an Award. Independent Publisher.
• Like It Or Not, Book Awards Matter. Book Riot.
• Pros and Cons of Book Awards. CreateSpace. 

PLATFORM (WEBSITES, BLOGS, ETC)

• A Definition of Author Platform. Jane Friedman. 

BLOGS

• 7 Mistakes You’re Making with Your Author Blog and How to Fix Them. The Creative Penn.
• Content Creation for Bloggers: 14 Kinds of Shareable Content. The Book Designer. 
• From Blog to Book: What Can Your Blog Do for You? Independent Publisher.
• How to Start Blogging: A Definitive Guide for Authors. Jane Friedman. 
• So You Started a Blog… (Part One): Blog Tips for Beginners. Independent Publisher.
• So You Started a Blog… (Part Two): 5 Steps to Increase Your Blog’s Visibility—and Have Fun Doing It. Independent Publisher.

WEBSITES

• Building an Author Website: The First Step to Publishing. The Write Practice. 
• Building an Author Website on WordPress: How to Start Smart. Jane Friedman. 
• Your Website 101: How to Create a Strong Online Presence. Independent Publisher. 

PUBLICITY

• Publicity 101: Q&A with Claire McKinney: Creative Campaigns, Common Mistakes, and How to Set Yourself Up for Success. Independent Publisher.
• On the Air, Live! How to Get Publicity from Local Television and Radio Programs. Independent Publisher.
• The Big Bad Book Tour: Dos, Don’ts, and Digital Options. Independent Publisher.

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Facebook 101: Using Facebook to Promote Your Book. Independent Publisher.
• Expand Your Audience Exponentially with Smart Goodreads Marketing. Build Book Buzz.
• The Problem with Platform: How Much Does Social Media Really Matter? Independent Publisher.
• To Tweet Or Not To Tweet: How to Use Social Media to Market Your Book. Independent Publisher.
• The Author’s Guide to Twitter: How Authors like Miranda Kenneally Use Twitter to Promote Their Books. Independent Publisher.

SALES

GENERAL

• Beyond the Bookstores: Selling Your Books Through Special Market Sales. Independent Publisher.

AMAZON

• Amazon Sales Rank: What the Heck Does It Mean? Build Book Buzz.
• How a Great Amazon Book Description Can Help Authors Sell More Books. HuffPost. 
• How to Optimize Your Amazon Author Central Pages. Jane Friedman.

BOOKSTORES

• 8 Tips for Indie Ebook Authors to Sell Print Books at Local Bookstores. Digital Book World. 

DISTRIBUTION

• How to Get Your Books Distributed: What Self-Published Authors Need to Know. Jane Friedman.

LIBRARIES

• 9 Steps to Getting Your Self-Published Books into Libraries. The Book Designer. 

*The Independent Publisher Book Awards are not affiliated with all of the websites and organizations linked here, and do not endorse all their opinions and views. These resources are meant to be informative, but – as always – please use your own judgment when following online advice!

Find resources below related to writing your novel and all the creative processes that go with it, collected from Independent Publisher as well as some of our favorite blogs and writing websites.*

GENERAL

• 3 Steps to Successfully Outlining Your Novel. Live Write Thrive. 
• 4 Big Pitfalls in Story Openings. Jane Friedman. 
• A Writer’s Guide to Permissions and Fair Use. Jane Friedman. 
• Best Book Writing Software: The 6 Documents You Always Need Open as a Writer. The Write Practice. 
• How to Edit Your Story Like a New York Publisher. The Write Practice. 
• How to Legally Use Quotations in Your Book. The Book Designer. 
• How to Research Your Novel… And When to Stop. The Creative Penn. 
• Prologue, Introduction, Preface, or Foreword: Which is Right for You? The Write Practice. 
• The Basics of Point of View for Fiction Writers. Jane Friedman.
• What’s In a Name? How to Craft a Great Book Title. Independent Publisher.

REVISIONS

• Revise Right: Five Steps to Revising Your Novel. Independent Publisher.
• Writing and Editing Fiction: 7 Things to Fix in Your First Self-Edit. The Creative Penn.

CONFERENCES

• Ready, Set, Write: Six Items to Prepare for a Writing Conference. Independent Publisher.

*The Independent Publisher Book Awards are not affiliated with all of the websites and organizations linked here, and do not endorse all their opinions and views. These resources are meant to be informative, but – as always – please use your own judgment when following online advice!

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Thanks so much for your interest in being featured on our social media, blog, and podcast. We’re excited to shine a spotlight on the unique stories and accomplishments of authors, publishers, and thought leaders who share the values of the IPPY Awards.

To get started, please fill out our quick form here. This will help us learn more about you and present your work in the best possible light.