Three Truths About Book Awards

I am very honored that my first novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, received the Nautilus Book Award for Young Adult Fiction. Honestly, to be in a list with authors whom I love, admire, and respect is thrilling. A friend recently asked me what I learned during this process of having my book receive an award, and I wanted to share those learnings with you:

1.Book awards matter

Does getting a book award really matter? Actually, yes. It is a seal of approval with one giant caveat—the award has to be legitimate. That means it should have a solid and known history with a jury of judges who are professionals in the publishing field. Anyone can put up a website and claim to be giving book awards. Before you or your publisher submit for an award, research it. Receiving a legitimate book award is something that gives your book a particular advantage when it comes to speaking engagements, book festivals, library acquisitions, and pitching the book to be a part of public school reading lists.

2.You have to submit for most awards

This was a surprise for me. I didn’t realize that authors and publishers have to submit for most book awards, and that most of them have some kind of fee associated with submission. Some of the biggest awards even have a fee associated with winning the award to cover marketing and publicity of the winners. The fees make it even more important for you to do your research and feel confident that the investment is worthwhile.

3.Winning an award isn’t the end of the story

I’ve made it! My book won a fantastic book award, and now my book is flying off the shelf without any more work needed by me and my publisher. Sadly, no. The marketing and publicity engine continues, and it will continue for as long as the book is in print. We continue to send the book out for review, and continue to submit for awards, conferences, speaking engagements, groups sales through libraries and schools, podcasts, interviews, etc. You name it, we try it. And that would be true, with or without an award.

I’d be remiss in this article if I didn’t thank Mary Belknap and her fine team at the Nautilus Book Awards for all of the work they do every year to review and highlight books that support their mission to “celebrate and honor books that support conscious living and green values, high-level wellness, positive social change, and spiritual growth.” Thank you for selecting me as one of your winners this year. I’d also like to thank my friend, Ken Lacovara, who received a Nautilus Book Award in the Ecology & Environment category for his wonderful book, Why Dinosaurs Matter. It was Ken’s encouragement that caused me to submit Emerson to Nautilus, and I’m so grateful.

Click here to review a list of all of this year’s Nautilus Book Awards winners in all categories.

Christa Avampato makes a living in business and technology, and she makes a life as an author, journalist, and storyteller. She lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter at @christanyc, Instagram at @christarosenyc, Facebook at Christa Avampato-Author, and her daily blog, Curating a Creative Life.