There are more and more competitions cropping up for self-published books, which I think is a promising development. It’s a way for independent authors to gain both book recognition and sometimes even bucks. It’s also a way to have industry insiders objectively evaluate your work from a reader and marketplace perspective, which can be useful. And finally, it gives you something to aim for and look forward to.

Here’s one awards program you may want to look into if you’ve taken the do-it-yourself route: The Writer’s Digest 21st Annual Self-Published Book Awards. It has a Grand Prize of $3,000 and nine $1,000 winners, and is now accepting entries (early-bird deadline: April 1, 2013; regular deadline: May 1, 2013). The submission categories are:

* Children’s/Picture books
* Genre Fiction
* Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age)
* Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs)
* Mainstream/Literary Fiction
* Middle-Grade/Young Adult books
* Nonfiction
* Poetry
* Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guides)

To enter: register and pay online or download a printable entry form. (early bird entry fees: $100 for the first entry, $75 for each additional entry). For books submitted after the April 1 early bird deadline: $110 for the first entry, $85 for each other entry.

According to the Writer’s Digest Web site, all authors who enter will receive a brief commentary from the judges along with a link to their sites on WritersDigest.com. For entry forms and rules, go to WritersDigest.com. If you decide to enter, please let me know – and good luck! And if you know anyone who might benefit from this information, please pass this post on — let’s all help each other. And write on!