Best Story Award Contest

It's a fact. Award-winning self-published or traditionally published authors sell more books.
Winning an award gives you tremendous credibility which impresses agents, publishers, and readers alike.
When readers see a shiny award on your book's cover they instantly think your book is special and probably worth reading.

"When a book wins one of the top awards, people feel that not only do they want to read it -- they also want to own it."
- Alice Mayhew, Editorial Director at Simon & Schuster.

Author Debbie Buttar saw an instant increase in sales due to the award seal on the cover of her children's book Giraffe Sounds.
Debbie told the Independent Publisher that adding the award seal on her cover "truly does make a difference in sales!”

"There are currently millions of book titles in print... Everyone judges a book by its cover. The average bookstore browser spends about five seconds looking at the front cover" The Independent Publisher wrote in a report, "We’re all attracted to bright, shiny objects. Having a gold seal on your book cover attracts attention and denotes the “seal of approval” from someone of authority.
An award sticker brings extra credibility to a book that can give it an edge with buyers making a decision between competing titles."

"Winning a book award is a great way to gain attention.
Not only is the book an award-winner, but the book’s author is now an “award-winning author,” and this can be added to bylines and should be stated often during appearances and book signings."
- The Independent Publisher

"That shiny sticker on the cover of your book will do wonders for sales. People can't help but be drawn to award-winning books and their authors... Glowing reviews and award seals on your jacket copy can really help influence buyers' decisions." - Author Pub.

"Authors whose books win an award gain credibility. Books that win awards gain increased exposure which can lead to more sales. Awards do influence buyers." - Marketing Christian Books

"Award stickers help to convince buyers to purchase... when faced with two competing titles and a limited acquisition budget the librarians will take the one that won an award, any award, over the title that doesn’t have an award to its credit...this same phenomena works for bookstore patrons browsing the shelves as well.” - Jim Cox, Midwest Book Reviews

Agents and publishers are always on the lookout for award-winning authors.

"Being placed in a competition certainly gets writers noticed and can help pave the way to publication." - Julie Pickering, literary agent at Blake Friedman Agency.

"Writing competitions can do wonders for your writing career...one of the best ways to get your writing noticed.
Too often writers submit to agents and editors without having any credentials, but winning a writing competition—especially a well-known one—gives you immediate credibility and something to add to your writing resume." - Writer's Digest

"Winning a well-respected competition can help validate your work with agents and publishers.
It proves someone thinks you’re good and helps build a more credible platform. " - Alan Rinzler, Consulting Editor.

Editor Suzannah Windsor Freeman says winning a contest gives prestige and "looks great in query letter or bio...even being longlisted or shortlisted is something you can mention in your portfolio or cover letter."

Credibility. Exposure. Recognition.

With millions of books out there, you need you make your book stick out from the rest.
People are attracted to award-winning books.
Get more results from all your advertising and social media marketing campaigns, Bookbub promotions, and paid blog tours.

The NY Times says award seals are as “a reassuring seal of approval.”

"All of your advertising can be enhanced with an impressive award seal and the words “award-winning book.”
You will also have forever earned the title of award-winning author.
This type of recognition goes a long way, and is probably the single greatest advertising enhancement one can obtain for their book" - BookBaby

Winning an award can help you get into the news.
It's a great opportunity to send out a press release and gain more attention and credentials.

Moreover, whenever you publish a book in the future or run a giveaway, being an award-winning author gets you more attention and gives you better chances to get into the news again.

Our winners have appeared on the following news sites:

Impress your readers with the title of "award-winning author".
Introduce yourself as an "award-winning author" in query letters you send to agents and publishers.

"Competitions play an important role in boosting your career."
"Placing in a competition is the equivalent of a promotion or a raise. It’s an acknowledgment that you’re good at what you do" - StandOutBooks

Use your credentials on your website, on business cards, on all your social accounts, in your email signature, on your LinkedIn profile, at book signing events, and when you introduce yourself to agents and publishers you meet at industry events.

Award-winning authors are respected and recognized.
Magazines, journals, presses, and blogs would rather interview an award-winning author than any unknown author.

Introducing yourself as an "award-winning author" impresses book reviewers, book bloggers, and magazines you contact requesting an interview or a review.
If you're planning to reach out to book reviewers at big newspapers such as the NY Times and request them to review your book, having the title of "award-winning author" will give you an edge over the hundreds of thousands of other authors who also contact these reviewers.

Impress potential employers.
If you're looking for ghostwriting jobs, freelance writing jobs, editing jobs, or dream to work at a publishing house/literary agency or to work as a staff writer, being an award-winning writer will help you stand out from other applicants.

If you wish to become a contributor at big magazines, websites, and newspapers, being an award-winning writer will give you an edge.

• According to Publisher's Weekly, after Katherine Boo's book Behind the Beautiful Forevers won an award, her weekly sales immediately increased.
• Louise Erdrich's The Round House also saw a spike in sales after winning an award.
  After his authors won an award, John Macrae, the former publisher of E.P. Dutton, said ''I noticed that sales immediately picked up".
• Jeanette Wilson, owner a bookstore on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, said the effect of winning an award "is immediate and significant".  "It gives an added imprimatur that makes a difference." she told the NY Times.
• "Winning the prize has been so important for me." Author Kirstin Scott said in an interview, "First, it got my book published, which was terrifically validating. And with that, the prize gave me readers. That experience—of feeling you’ve made a connection with someone through a book—has been unexpected, humbling, and wonderful."
• John Biggs said winning the award "gave me a strong push through the very steep climb at the beginning of my writing career. Partly, or perhaps chiefly because of that contest, my short story publication resume has blossomed and I have established a relationship with two small publishers".
• Emerging Irish writer Danielle McGoughlin, now published in The New Yorker and whose debut collection was recently published by Stinging Fly Press to great acclaim, said winning competitions was "a great encouragement".

• Our contest is open to international writers of all ages and nationalities.
• Self-published, published, and unpublished writers may submit their book/story to our contest.
• We accept books/stories which have been traditionally published, self-published, as well as stories which haven't been published yet.
• We accept books/stories in the genres of Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Children's stories, MG, YA, Mystery, Crime, Thriller, and Memoirs.

• The book or story must be your original idea.
  Public domain stories are not accepted.
• You may enter as many stories as you wish.
  Each story must be submitted in a separate entry.
• You may enter the same story into multiple (relevant) genres for the same month.
  Every genre entry is purchased as a separate entry.
• You can enter the same story again in as many of our monthly contests as you wish.
  If you didn't win one contest, you may enter your story again for the next month.

• Entrants are required to be over 13 years old or have a legal guardian purchase and submit the entry on their behalf.

• Monthly winners are announced ~40 days after the closing date.
  (Example: Winners of the January contest are announced in the first week of March.)
• The yearly winners will be announced on December 7th, 2018.
• Monthly winners receive award seals.
• Yearly winners receive the trophy statute as well as the Award Seal.
  There are no additional costs or fees to receive your trophy.
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• Entries are limited to 200 per category per month.