A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: What do judges in book award competitions look for?

 



It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. 

This week's conversation addresses the topic of book awards. MSI Press books fare well in competitions. Nearly all of our books that have been entered into competitions have won one or more awards. One book, An Afternoon's Dictation, has won seven. So, how do they do it? Here, thanks to Book Awards Pro, is information about what book award competition judges look for--and beyond the list below, most competitions will tell you what they are looking for (and checking previous winners can give a clue, too).

Focus

Here judges are looking at the structure and content of the book. Does it have a single and organized focus that helps the reader clearly understand the author's message.

Relevance

Here judges are looking for topics that are meaningful today. In 2020, MSI Press put out a set of books (a total of 15) focused on the pandemic. Then, some of those books won awards. Today, we have all moved in, and those books are no longer relevant (for the most part--some of the information in all of the books is useful today as well, but the books are not focused on today).

Author Voice

Here judges are looking to see if authors are self-aware and psychologically mature (especially important for memoirs). They look for wisdom and inner truth and are put off by clear emotional baggage and obvious grudges.

Professionalism

Here judges are looking both at the writing (structure, organization, expression, prose style) and book design (layout, cover). This is what we in the profession call the "look-and-feel" of a book--and it must be fabulous to win a competition.

Fit

Every organization and company offering a book award competition has an organizational culture--the organization's "look-and-feel," if you will. Check this out via their website and previous book award winners. If you book would fit on the same library shelf as the winners, go for it! If not, it might be better to look for a different competition.

Bottom line: Not all competitions are the same. Look for the fit with your book, but also make sure your book has the right focus, relevance, author voice, and professionalism for any competition since all demand those four things.

See more Publisher Conversations with Authors HERE.


 Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned




The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 18 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.

                         



(recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)


 



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Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? 



We help writers become award-winning published authors. One writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Do you have a future with us?





Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help.





Check out information on how to submit a proposal.





Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process.







Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com.




Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.

Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.




Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.

Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.





   
MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.
Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.

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