As we look back on the last six years of the Indie Author Project (IAP) regional contests, we’re so grateful to see how they have grown and evolved. The contests have been through many iterations, slowly expanding their reach into libraries across the US and Canada, and opening their doors to more and more authors. We’ve received 1000s of submissions throughout the years, and are excited to say that we received more submissions this year than ever before – doubling the number of submissions we received the first year of the contest. 

Our mission has always been to connect independent authors and local libraries, and to foster this relationship in a way that elevates quality indie books and gets them into the hands of patrons in their author’s own local communities and beyond. 

While thinking about the future of the IAP contests, we can only hope they continue to grow and foster even more inclusivity to as many talented indie authors as possible. 

With that being said, we’re excited to announce a new format for the contests coming this spring. We will be switching from location-based contests, with winners in each participating region, to genre-based contests that will have winners in each of the following categories:

• Romance
• Mystery & Thriller
• SciFi & Fantasy
• Historical Fiction
• General Fiction
• Memoir
• Young Adult Fiction

There will be one winner and two finalists chosen for each genre. We’re also thrilled to announce that with this new change, the prize money will also be increasing to $2500 for each winner and $500 for each finalist. The dates of the contest will remain the same, with submissions open from April 1st – May 31st, and the winners announced during Indie Author Day (every November). 

Previously, author eligibility was limited to residents of participating regions. With this new format, the contest is open to any book in a qualifying genre that is written in English, regardless of where the author resides. We’re so excited to open our doors to authors worldwide, and can’t wait to see the incredible submissions that come from this! 

This is a big change and you’re sure to have a lot of questions, so stay tuned for a more detailed announcement early next year. We’ll also be hosting a launch call to discuss the new contest format in more detail, and answer any questions you may have, on Tuesday, January 23rd at 3:00 PM EST. You can register to attend here. 

Write on! 

The Indie Author Project Team