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NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

®

CELEBRATING SELF & INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

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AWARD RULES

YOU ARE A WINNER OR FINALIST

The Indie Excellence® awards recognize books that demonstrate overall excellence throughout both form and content. Entries are evaluated across a scale of metrics by trusted and experienced jurors. A single winner is awarded for each category and a small group of finalists are awarded corresponding to the number of entries in a particular category. As a winner or finalist, you can highlight the award and other honors on book covers and in various marketing materials. Download our digital seal to print on book covers and/or order physical stickers for books you have already printed. Official NIEA winner or finalist certificates are available for purchase as well.

Submissions for the 19th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards are currently open for entry. We look forward to celebrating your wonderful books in this contest.

All entries must be postmarked by March 31st, 2025. Winners and Finalists will be announced June of 2025.

ENTRY FEES & DEADLINES

$75.00 per entry/per Category

  • All payments must be in U.S. Dollars.

  • Please send one copy of the book per category entered. 2023, 2024 and 2025 (before March 31st) publication dates are eligible.

  • You can put all the categories for your book's entry on one Submission Form. Be sure to place a copy of the submission form in each book you send in, one for each category entered.

  • All titles must have an ISBN and be published books available on websites such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever good books are sold (including your own). 

  • Your book must be available for sale by the contest deadline.

  • All entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2025.

  • Winners and Finalists will be notified in June 2025.

  • All submissions are final.

  • There are no refunds.

(All international checks or money orders must have “USD” or “US Dollar” pre-printed on the check/money order.)

ENTRY FEES & DEADLINES
NOTIFICATIONS & DEADLINES

NOTIFICATIONS & DEADLINES OF WINNERS & FINALISTS

We will notify each entry of their received book delivery via e-mail. NIEA announces the winning entries on our website once the judging has been completed, this happens shortly after the date for submissions is closed for the year. 

Because of the high volume of entries, it could take up to two weeks to send you the notification that we received your book.

A WORD ABOUT OUR AWARD DESIGNATIONS

As contests have a variety of designations we have structured the National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) so that only one book per category may be designated the “Winner”, however, there are always more titles in a category that truly stand out and we believe these too deserve recognition.  We are dedicated to celebrating excellence in self-published books so NIEA also has the “Finalist” category.

Books recognized as Finalists are outstanding. The differences between a Winner and Finalist are often so small that the judging is quite a challenge! Gaining recognition as a Finalist is a high honor and very competitive, it is something an author should be extremely proud to promote. The number of Finalists reflects the number of entries in a given category. 

Readers appreciate our Winners and Finalists as worthy of their attention and their book-buying dollars.

AWARD DESIGNATIONS

AWARD RULES

Books Eligible

  • The National Indie Excellence® Awards selection committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any book.

  • Please send one copy of the print version of your published book per category entered. 2023, 2024 and 2025 (up to March 31st) publication dates are eligible (advance reader copies and galleys are not accepted).

  • Your book must be available for sale by the submission deadline. 

  • Put all the categories in which you submit on one Submission Form and be sure to place a copy of the submission form and in each book you send in, one for each category. All titles must have an ISBN and be published books.

  • Indie Excellence® is open to all English language books that are available for sale both online and in bookstores. 

  • Books published by Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, Random House, or Simon & Schuster are not eligible to apply.

  • We are not accepting e-books.

  • We reserve the right to move books into another category if it seems appropriate.

Judges

  • We do not publish the names of the judges to respect their privacy.

Book Submissions

  • You are fully responsible for having your physical book reach us by the deadline for submission. Unless you receive an email acknowledging receipt of your book, please be aware that your book has not been included in the judging process. 

  • Indie Excellence® submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.

  • Submitted books are donated to local libraries and schools for further use, we do not simply discard or pulp them.

AWARD RULES

Please include proof of paypal or check with your entry submission. Make checks payable to: “National Indie Excellence® Book Awards ” and mail to:

Indie Excellence® Submission
703 Pier Ave 
Suite B-684 
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

SUBMISSION
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