

August 12, 2011

Award Alert: The IndieReader Discovery Awards

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware





  • A professional IndieReader review
  • An IndieReader “All About the Book” feature





Anonymous said...

How much kickback does Writer Beware get for each entry they receive at this contest?

DeadlyAccurate said...

That Book Ends Entertainment isn't BookEnds, right? The one run by Jessica Faust and Kim Lionetti? It's a similarly named but completely unaffiliated agency?

Andunien said...

I kind of wonder if anyone outside the writing world even KNOWS most of these awards. I mean, if you ask someone who's familiar with publishing about various legit contests and such, they'll know what you're talking about. But your average reader? I don't think they care. I know I don't, just like I don't care if your aunt Linda or another author loved your book. Doesn't mean I will.

Also, love how anon didn't even have the balls to show their name with their tasteless comment :D Stay classy anon.

Victoria Strauss said...

@DeadlyAccurate--you're right, it's a different agency. The agent is Bethany Stirdivant. Here's IndieReader's press release about the first look arrangement.

I've never run across Book Ends Entertainment before. There's almost nothing about it online, but here's Ms. Stirdivant's LinkedIn profile which indicates that she trained at some established agencies before setting up on her own.

Henry Baum said...

I'm curious what better way you think there is to spend $150. Ads - where? Not being facetious, I'm genuinely curious.

For me, as a self-publisher, awards have been the best way to spend money. But then I've won a couple, and actually made $1500 on one, so I'd feel differently if I had nothing to show for it.

But Google ads, web ads, and the like are fleeting and don't help a lot. Stamping "Winner of" is pretty helpful to get people to take a book seriously. *Someone* liked it - it's somewhat like having a publisher. Reviews are free, for the most part, and maybe just as helpful, but having Winner of has helped the book get reviews some places.

Disclaimer - I'm actually affiliated with this contest, but I'd also like to hear some ideas about where to put $ with a marketing budget under $500

Victoria Strauss said...

Henry Baum said,


Sending out review copies, if it's a print book or the reviewer doesn't review ebooks. Traveling to signings. Paying for web hosting and web design. Paying your tech-savvy friend to make you a book trailer. I'm sure there's much variance of opinion and experience here--but the point is that there's any number of concrete things you can pay for that have a tangible result, as opposed to spending money for what, for most entrants, is the chimera of winning an award.

I agree that ads are a waste of money.

What I'd really like to know is why the IndieReader entry fee is so much higher than that of other, similar awards'. One reason might be that the judges get an honorarium--can you confirm whether or not that's the case?

Jenny said...

This is no different than buying a $150 lottery ticket.

Except that with lottery tickets if you win you get something more valuable than what you paid to enter.

To answer Henry Baum: I'd suggest aspiring authors put that $150 into joining an organization like RWA where it is possible to meet and learn from real authors published in all the various modalities who have sold a lot of books online and in stores and are willing to share what they've learned about what works.

Shawn James said...

These awards are a waste of money. If a self-published author wants to have an impact that makes people take notice of their work they have to focus on two areas:

1. Sales. Selling 10,000 copies of a title has more of an impact on everyone than an award no one has heard of. 10,000 sales says there's an audience to trade publishers and a platform they can build around an author.

2. building an audience. It goes hand in hand with sales, but a self-published author's main goal is building a reputation with readers and establishing the word-of-mouth that will get people talking about their book and buying it.

I'd rather spend $150 on a book trailer, club flyers (larger and glossier than a business card and would feature the book cover on it,) or just put the money away for a rainy day. Book promotion isn't that expensive and an entry fee for an award no one has heard of isn't going to give a casual reader incentive to try a self-published authors titles.

Henry Baum said...

@VS I can confirm I'm not making any $.

You're right about web hosting, but I'd consider that a necessity. And all the other things are a crap shoot whether or not they'll work. Postcards and bookmarks and such are good, but not really buzz creating. I agree that the fee is high for the IR award, but maybe it helps attracts writers who are more confident in their work, and so attracts more prominent judges? Overall, I do think $150 is high for an award, if I'm being honest.

I've blown $99 on a Foreword award where I didn't even get an honorable mention, and I moved on. Marketing is all about trying things and seeing what works - different things work for different people. So yeah, it is like the lottery, but so is releasing a book and hoping it'll take hold.

James C. Wallace II said...

I got involved with IndieReader when they first came online. I was just putting out my first self-published book, Magician of Oz and I knew very little about the industry. Since I was (still am) a part-time teacher with little to no disposable income, I didn't pay for any services and took advantage of their free offers, which were limited to a very brief listing (which no longer exists) and a request for a short description of my self-publishing experience (which also no longer appears on their website). Had I paid for services, would I have gotten valuer for my investment? Probably not... I've never been impressed with them and I've done far better on my own, marketing, blogging and promoting my work in general. My niche is so limited that no amount of paid services or some silly contest will do any better than I do for myself.
I write for the joy of it, which is good since I ain't getting filthy stinkin' rich at it. The funny part is that I'm already filthy and I stink quite a bit. Now if I could just get rich!!!!
Oh well, on to the next novel!!!

Anonymous said...

Sadly, wherever there's never a shortage of ratbags waiting to scam money from someone with a dream :(

Anonymous said...

Lol, that was meant to read 'wherever you go in life, there's never a shortage...'

I really shouldn't type when I'm tired :)

Leslie said...

Victoria, I'm curious about the claim that the winners will get a review in Kirkus. I would like to know which part of Kirkus will run the review. The real Kirkus, or the "Kirkus Indie" that charges $425 per review, $575 for express service. I suppose there's some value if that service is part of your award . . . except that it's the Kirkus Indie branch and the author pays for the reviews, therefore making the review suspect.

Michael Capobianco said...

Henry Baum said: "I agree that the fee is high for the IR award, but maybe it helps attracts writers who are more confident in their work"

I would be very interested in finding out if there's actually a correlation between the quality of a work and the author's confidence in it. If there is, it may be an inverse correlation because of the Dunning-Kruger effect. said...

Leslie, re: "the claim that the winners will get a review in Kirkus."

This isn't a claim, Leslie. That's what the winners receive. As far as which part of Kirkus will run the review, it's "Kirkus Indie" as the books are, in fact, indie books. So in essence, that's a $575 value right there. said...

hmmm...I wrote a long response a minute ago which seems to have disappeared, so pls disregard if it pops up again.

First, thx Victoria for helping to clarify the Awards. Second (and this is kind of important), IR no longer charges for anything but ads (I think you may be referring to IR Selects, a sep service and website).

In fact all IR editorial--including reviews--are now posted at IR's discretion (and have been for almost a year).

Onto the Awards far as why our fees are higher than other awards to enter...I can't speak for the other organizers, but there is a lot of work involved with securing and communicating with our panel of judges and handling PR (see our recent write-up in GalleyCat). Additionally, we pay our staff to record, sort, send out books (some are still paper) and generally coordinate what is shaping up to be a major undertaking.

Re: the assertion that the money could be better spent. As a long-time publicist (and both an indie and traditionally pubbed author), I respectfully disagree. Sure, you can send out review copies and make book trailers (not for $150 tho), but if an author's end goal is to attract more readers--or even a publishing contract--they first need to get their work in front of people who can help them, and that's what the IRDAs are all about.

If someone thinks they have a better way, I urge them to try it. But I would also urge those who doubt what we're trying to do to take a look at the IR site. Our goal for almost three years has been to promote--and generate respect for--indie authors and their books. In other words, we're just trying to help.

Please let me know if you have further questions. I'd be happy to answer them.


Dennis Latham said...

Maybe the National Book Award may mean something, but I made up The Walnut Award for one of my weird books. The new award is given to a writer who has managed to complete a novel after a frontal lobotomy. The writer's brain must be no larger than a walnut. Makes about as much sense as the rest of these awards and it didn't cost me anything.

Anonymous said...

DA, I also assumed it was Bookends Literary Agency.

A thought about awards. My books are published by a big 6 publisher. I've won awards. And I've watched my amazon sales after these awards, and nothing happens.

On the other hand, if one of my books gets reviewed in the national media, my amazon sales shoot right up.

So I'd say if you want to improve the sales of your self-published book, go after reviews, not awards.

And as for entering a high-fee contest with the possibility of winning a review-- oy! There are more efficient ways to go after reviews. You can send out a lot of copies of your book for $150.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and ps, to the IRDA rep above: Yes, I think I have a better way for writers to get their work in front of people who can help them get a publishing deal.

Submit it to agents or editors.

Frances Grimble said...

Well, I'd put that $150 towards a quick-print run of book brochures to mail out. Yes, even in this age of email, direct mail still works. Of course, emails also work--and are free if you sent up an automated mailing using your database. However, some potential readers do not want publishers to email them (or even, have no email addresses), but will accept postal mail. And, bookstores are more impressed by printed brochures than by email. Paying for a mailing list MAY be a good idea, as long as it is very well targeted to your book and very current. Otherwise, I recommend assembling your own.

Sending review copies to well-targeted publications is also a good idea. Sending press releases is also excellent, and a lot cheaper than a massive review copy mailing. Most publications actually prefer to receive press releases electronically, so again, this is free for you, as long as you can write your own press release.

Social networking involves a lot of labor, which needs to be carefully alotted and done in the right venues. But, it does not involve paying money up front, unless you hire someone to do it.

I don't even count setting up web pages--(my-husband-the-programmer does it free).

See John Kremer's book 1001 Ways to Market Your Book for many, many good and inexpensive ideas.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 8:46 and 9:00 am here-- just wanted to say that anonymous at 12:43 p.m. is not me. Oy.

That's the trouble with having a common name.

Leslie said...

Amy@indyreader: As a reader, I don't want to read any book where the author has paid for a review.

Karen Packard Rhodes said...

In any professional field of endeavor, meaningful awards are given on merit alone and do not require the aspiring awardee to pay a fee at all. I'm sorry, but a book that boasts about being given an "award" that required an entry fee, especially one that gets into three digits, does not leave me with a positive impression.

pezibc said...

I don't do contests. However 'legitimate', if there is a fee, I'm, out.

These things are oh so incestuous to begin with. At best writers pool a fund that becomes a kind of lottery and whoever organizes it takes a nice cut.

Henry Baum said...

People are quick to say "scam" (or ratbag) but there aren't reputable non-fee awards available to self-publishers. Hugo, Pulitzer, National Book Award, whatever - they're off limits to self-publishers. And something like the IPPY has a lot of entries from the gamut of independent publishers (read: not self-published).

BuffySquirrel said...

Anyone approaching self-publishers knows they're primed to pay to play.

Billy Bob Buttons said...


When I was stupid enough to enter Foreword Magazine Award, Writer's Digest Award etc, etc, I did ok but I quickly realised they had no iterest in my book or publicising the finalists and winners. Feedback was basically non-existent and all they wanted to do was sell you stickers and editorial services. Also, they cost a bloody fortune.
So, I set up The Wishing Shelf Awards It is non-profit making, cost very little to enter and the judging is very indepth (each book is read approx 15 to 20 times). Feedback is given to everybody who enters whether they win or not and we spend the next 12 months publicising the finalists. This includes regular Press Releases to literary magazines, advertising the winners in online and traditional literary magazines and providing finalists with free quotes they can use for the back of their books.
Also, I wanted the authors who enter to feel as if we know who they are; that we care about their books, so every email is answered personally and, in the case of the authors who did not have internet, we rang them to tell them how they did and sent their feedback by post.
We even publish our accounts every year to show the authors exactly how the entry money was spent.
To get an idea of how the authors enjoyed the first year, check out The Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards Facebook page.
So if, like me, you are sick to death of awards which only care about making money off authors, then enter your book in our awards. You will find all the details at, and I can promise you a very worthwhile and enjoyable experience. It will also be the best 28 pounds you ever spent on publicising your work.

All the best and thanks for your support.

Anonymous said...

If you are a writer, and you respect your good work, avoid KIRKUS INDIE REVIEWS.

Do not fall for the glittery promise of a Kirkus Review for your book.

I trusted, like a fool, that a company of their repute would, surely, and for the price of $575.00 ( I was in a rush to print), that I would, at least, get a full read of the manuscript. Well, that clearly did not happen. What I got was a formulaic “schtick” on what was a bare, scant assessment of the novel--the reviewer made sure to check correct spellings of character names, their basic role, any little characteristic to throw in to "show" that the reviewer "read" the work--and just took it from there.

The so-called "problems" with the narrative simply did not exist. There was a major aberration of the story arc as a whole and therefore, the reviewer just summed it all up the way he/she wanted to see it. After all, it doesn't matter, not really. KIRKUS will cover him/her, under the shield of anonymity and their motto: "World's Toughest Critics", regardless of what they do or say.

When I tried to point out to them that I could prove that this reviewer didn't really read my book, they ignored my simple suggestions: that they contact the reviewer in a live call and simply ask one or two definitive questions. It wouldn't have taken a lot of trouble, really, but they clearly were not interested in being fair. They were interested in maintaining their position that they do not do refunds. Ever. Under any circumstance, however, their CEO said to me that each reviewer must read the work in its entirety. I can guarantee that this did not happen with my work. Yet-- they took my money. And they refuse a refund. Clearly, this is a scam and a sham and a type of fraud cleverly wrapped up as a nice little package for the independent writer who is looking for some support. Partake at your PERIL!

KIRKUS ended my pursuit without giving any of my considerations a try, or even offering to have another reviewer take a stab (actually, I wouldn't trust another...) but they are hanging on to my money, protecting their reviewer while I must request that they bury the thing and walk away in absolute disgrace. That's what you get when you're vulnerable, and trust snakes like KIRKUS to save the day. They're criminals. STAY AWAY.

belinda mellor said...

I did discover that the awards were reported in the Huffington Post book section. That seems like pretty good exposure (if it still happens).
I'm on the fence at the moment – which is why I was browsing here.
What a lot of indie writers possibly don't know is that publishers pay to enter books in competitions, too. We are our own publishers, so we get the bills,,,,

Hart St. Martin said...

I just want to say that after winning the YA category for 2014, I didn't sell one book. I publicized every time my book was mentioned on the IR site, still zilch. I think I've finally come to the conclusion that most writing contests are worth only the singular momentary thrill of the 5-star review (which my 2 entries in 2 years received), and then the thrill flies away with your money. Plus it should be noted that only winners now get reviewed for the entry fee. So in order to get a review, one must pay an additional $225 to IR in addition to the initial $150 upon entry to the contest. Or you can just enter and hope you win. Otherwise, no review.

Victoria Strauss said...

Hart, I agree with you: for the most part, contests and awards are a waste of time and money. Sorry you had to find out the hard way.

jack dawson said...

Indiereader book reviews are the worst - They give pitiful reviews to good books - beware before you buy.

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