When I decided to pursue self-publishing, the needy artist in me immediately started searching for other ways to find external validation. I started looking for a list of contests open to self-publishes fantasy and science fiction novels. Many lists focused on short fiction or didn’t concentrate on genre, so I put together a list for myself. These are the contests I am considering. Please note that there are contests outside this list.
Fantasy Novel Contests
BATH NOVEL AWARD (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: December 1st 2021 until 23:59 (BST) on May 31st 2022
Open To: Novels can be unpublished, self-published or independently published
Fee: £29 per novel
Prize: £3,000
THE CALEDONIA NOVEL AWARD (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: May 1, 2022 – November 1, 2022
Open To: Unpublished or self-published novelists only
Fee: £25 per novel (Sponsored entries are available for low-income writers)
Prize: Shortlisted Novels will be awarded £1,500, the winner will receive a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre, including accommodation, not flight
CHANTICLEER INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: October 31, 2022 for fantasy, though there are different deadlines for different genres
Open To: No restrictions
Fee: $99
Prize: Grand prize- $1,000, 1st in category $250
IBPA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARD (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: No dates available for 2022 entries, however, there were two periods for 2021, June 1 –
September and October 1 – December 15
Open To: Independent publishers, hybrid publishers, self-published authors, university presses, association presses
Fee: IBPA members - $95, Non-members - $229 for membership and entry
Prize: Recognition on IBPA website, two tickets to the award ceremony, press release, and award sticker for book covers
KILLER NASHVILLE SILVER FALCHION AWARD (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Due by June 15, 2022
Open To: Eligible works must have been first published in English between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022
Fee: $79 for non-conference attendees and free for conference attendees
Prize: $250 for the overall winner and physical award for individual category winners
2022 NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Due by June 25, 2022
Open To: Traditionally published, independently published, or self-published
Fee: $50 for each submission
Prize: $1,500 appearance fee for the annual awards program
Note: There is no Fantasy category. Fantasy can be submitted as a wild-card or in the general category.
NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Due by February 10, 2023
Open To: All indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers
Fee: $75 per title for the first category entered, and $60 for each additional category entered
Prize: Category winner - $100 and gold metal, 3rd place in overall fiction and non-fiction - $500 and trophy, 2nd place in overall fiction and non-fiction - $750 and trophy, 1st place in overall fiction and non-fiction - $1500 and trophy
RUBERY BOOK AWARD (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Due by March 31, 2022 (no new date for 2023 is posted)
Open To: No restrictions
Fee: £37 or $60 USD
Prize: £2000 (approx.. 2760USD), Category winners £200 (approx. 276USD), and every winner receives a glass plaque and all winners & shortlisted authors receive a write up
SELF PUBLISHED FANTASY BLOG OFF (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Open on May 14, 2022 (No dates for 2023)
Open To: Self-published fantasy novels
Fee: Free
Prize: Selfie Stick Award, being reviewed on the blogs of 10 highly respected fantasy bloggers, and publicity
THE WISHING SHELF AWARDS (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Open all year
Open To: Self-published
Fee: £79 or $99 (if you wish for feedback, catchy quote, reviews on Amazon.co.uk and Goodreads) or £39 or $49 (if you just wish to enter the awards)
Prize: A large range of promotions (See hereÂ)
WRITER'S DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS (Full Rules and Details)
Entry Dates: Due June 1, 2022
Open To: Self-published
Fee: $100 before May 6, 2022 and $125 after
Prize: Grand Prize - $10,000 and an interview in Writer’s Digest and paid conference attendance, 1st place - $1,000 and name in an issue, Honorable Mentions – promotion on website
Before you enter any competition do your research. Make sure you double check the deadlines, entry fees, and read the full details of the competition. Also note: there are some dubious people out there. Make sure you are confident in a competition’s professionalism before submitting.
Do you have any contests on your list that I am missing? Share in the comments below.
