CONTESTS

Win $500 from the PenCraft Book Award competition that celebrates the best books submitted and reviewed during the prior year.

The PenCraft Book Awards have implemented a new Seasonal Book Award to complement their Annual PenCraft Book Award Competition. Each entry received for competing in the Annual PenCraft Book Award will automatically become an entrant for the Seasonal Book Awards. There is no additional charge to have your book considered for the Seasonal Book Awards. These Seasonal Book Awards will be presented each quarter for the best books received during the previous quarter/s.  See more information below on how this new competition will be conducted.

The ninth annual PenCraft Book Awards Competition and the Seasonal PenCraft Book Awards Competition are open to all books written in the English Language with an ISBN and published between 2021 and 2025.

There are two ways to enter:

1. Your books can be entered into the competition by submitting them to us by snail mail or by providing a pdf copy to us before the 2025th deadline. The deadline is Midnight on September 10, 2025. The submission fee per book per category is $46. (Click here for Submission Instructions)
2. If you've had a book reviewed by AuthorsReading.com during the 2021-2025  submission window, then that book will have automatically been entered into the two competitions.

Information on the Seasonal Book Awards for BEST BOOKS of the Season

After each defined quarter, (see chart below) the books previously entered will be evaluated for the upcoming Seasonal Book Awards using the same criteria applied in the Annual PenCraft Awards competition. All the books entered into the Annual Book Awards competition between 9/11/24 and 9/10/25 will be eligible for the Annual PenCraft Book Awards. The winning of a Seasonal Book Award will not affect the eligibility to win in the Annual PenCraft Book Award Competition.

Date Book Entered Into The PenCraft Book Award Competiton	Eligible to Win Best Book Awards for Winter	Eligible to Win Best Book Awards for Spring	Eligible to Win Best Book Awards for Summer	Eligible to Win Best Book Awards forFall	Eligible to Win the Annual PenCraft Book Awards
9/11/24 and 12/31/24
1/1/25 and 3/31/25
4/1/25 and 6/30/25
7/1/25 and 9/10/25

Winners of the Seasonal Book Awards will receive a personalized award certificate and a high-resolution digital version of their Seasonal Book Awards seal for their book or other marketing materials, as well as a web-optimized graphic version of the seal for websites, blogs, and social networking sites.

A special national press release will be published about the Seasonal Book Awards’ winners each quarter.

More About the Annual 2025 PenCraft Book Awards

The Grand Cash Prize for the Annual 2025 PenCraft Book Awards is $500 cash. Two other cash prizes of $200 will also be awarded - one for best fiction and best nonfiction. Plus, each major winner receives a personalized award certificate and a high-resolution digital version of their PenCraft Book Award's seal for their book or other marketing materials, as well as a web-optimized graphic version of the seal for websites, blogs, and social networking sites. A special national press release will be published about the top three winners.

Entry into the Ninth Annual PenCraft Book Awards competition can win you $500 and other prizes.Your entry also make you eligible for the Seasonal Book Awards. Each of the major genre/category winners is given a personalized award certificate and a high-resolution digital version of their PenCraft Book Award's seal for their book or other marketing materials, as well as a web-optimized graphic version of the seal for websites, blogs, and social networking sites.

All works are judged on content, general excellence in writing, and originality. Books published by all publishers, including self-publishers, are accepted. The PenCraft Book Awards competitions are an equal opportunity contest giving no merit to one type of publisher over another.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel of authors, librarians, and other literature lovers. The criteria for the 2025 competitions are:

1. Book or Audio Book cover design (10%): Does the cover captivate the reader with a compelling visual and create an engaging first impression? Does the design spark imagination, inviting readers to explore the narrative? Does it feature bold typography and striking imagery that not only draws attention but also reflects the genre, aiding in the quick identification of the story type? Are the title and author's name prominently displayed?
2. Literary/Artistic Merit (30%): The quality of writing receives primary consideration in the PenCraft Book Award judging. The book's editing, illustrations, and attention to detail involved in its creation is an important element in the selection process.
3. Originality (20%): Originality in concept and execution is another primary consideration in selecting winning titles. The book should demonstrate innovative literary qualities, which in many cases will be specific to their genre or category.
4. Marketing effort (10%): Is the book accessible on major platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, or BookShop.org? Are there editorial reviews available? Does the book page utilize Amazon A+ content? Is the book easy to find on Google? Is the book's title in conflict with more popular books or movies?
5. Audience Appeal (30%): A PenCraft Book Award-winning entry must have a strong appeal to its target audience. The book will be judged on its effectiveness in engaging that particular readership and their acceptance of the book.

PenCraft Book Award recipients will benefit from announcements in the media about their award-winning books. A National Press Release will include a list of all 1st place winners of the different genres and categories. The chatter from these various lists helps readers discover new and innovative works.

The Annual "PenCraft" Award winners will be announced late in October 2025 to coincide with the beginning of the Holiday season. A book award sets your book apart from its competition and the Holiday season is certainly a time when additional recognition for your work benefits book sales.

The 2024 PenCraft Book Award ceremony will be held in Las Vegas on April 28th of 2025. Each winner will be given a chance to make a statement about their book and their aspirations during the award ceremony.

We hope you will soon be able to promote your Title as a PenCraft Book Award-Winning Book: As an award winner, you will have the right to highlight your PenCraft Book Award on your book cover, website, and marketing material. Additional award stickers will be available at a nominal price for all PenCraft Book Award winners in each category.

We welcome your questions, comments, and ideas! Simply e-mail us for an immediate response.

David Hearne