The Indie Author Project (IAP) is thrilled to announce the return of the Indie Author Project Annual Contests!
More than a writing competition, IAP contests are an opportunity to help local authors build readership within their communities and establish meaningful partnerships within libraries and beyond. In 2023, Jefferson County Public Library patron Tasha Christensen won the Colorado Indie Author Project Contest!
This year, the awards will honor the best indie-published ebooks in eight genres:
- Mystery/Thriller
- Romance
- Sci-Fi
- Fantasy
- Historical Fiction
- General/Contemporary Fiction
- Memoir
- Young Adult
Submissions must be geared toward an Adult or Young Adult audience, and submitting authors must live in the U.S. or Canada.
One winner and two honorable mentions from each genre will be selected. The winners of this contest will receive:
- $2,500 to the first-place winner and $500 to each runner-up in each genre
- Honors at the 2026 Indie Author Day Reception at ALA Annual
- Opportunities to promote their book(s) at JCPL
- Inclusion in a full-page print spread in Library Journal
- Opportunities to earn royalties through the IAP Select Commercial Collections (ePUB format required for eligibility)
The contest submission period runs from April 1 to May 31. Winners will be announced during the Indie Author Day reception in November.
For more information and help with all things writing, check out JCPL's Writing Guide with recommended reads, resources and events!