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2026 cycle
34 categories, rubrics we publish before entries open, and entry counts released alongside the shortlist.
Cycle status
Entries closed — cycle is at open
Step 1
Choose your categories, upload the manuscript and a print-resolution cover, confirm eligibility, pay.
Step 2
Every entry is checked against the published eligibility rules. Ineligible entries are refunded.
Step 3
A blind first round scored against the published rubric. Judges with a conflict recuse themselves and score nothing.
Step 4
Shortlist and entry counts published together. Winners get a downloadable seal, a profile feature and a press release.
Novels and novellas distinguished by voice, language, character, and thematic depth.
$240 per entry · 22 entries
Rules and rubric →Contemporary and general-interest novels that do not sit primarily within another genre.
$220 per entry · 40 entries
Rules and rubric →Crime, detective, cozy, police procedural, and other mystery-led fiction.
$230 per entry · 44 entries
Rules and rubric →High-stakes thrillers and suspense novels driven by tension, danger, and pace.
$245 per entry · 46 entries
Rules and rubric →Romance novels in which the central love story ends with an emotionally satisfying resolution.
$225 per entry · 59 entries
Rules and rubric →Epic, urban, historical, dark, romantic, and contemporary fantasy.
$250 per entry · 59 entries
Rules and rubric →Speculative fiction grounded in science, technology, futurism, space, or alternate realities.
$255 per entry · 47 entries
Rules and rubric →Supernatural, psychological, gothic, folk, body, and other horror fiction.
$235 per entry · 33 entries
Rules and rubric →Fiction set principally in a documented historical period.
$240 per entry · 42 entries
Rules and rubric →Fiction centering LGBTQ+ characters, lives, communities, or themes.
$220 per entry · 59 entries
Rules and rubric →Single-author collections of short fiction.
$210 per entry · 69 entries
Rules and rubric →Short-form fiction with the sustained arc of a novel.
$200 per entry · 40 entries
Rules and rubric →Book-length fiction or nonfiction told through sequential art.
$260 per entry · 51 entries
Rules and rubric →Illustrated books in which words and pictures work together for readers aged eight and under.
$235 per entry · 38 entries
Rules and rubric →Fiction or narrative nonfiction created for newly independent readers.
$205 per entry · 15 entries
Rules and rubric →Fiction written primarily for readers aged eight to twelve.
$220 per entry · 38 entries
Rules and rubric →Fiction written primarily for teen readers.
$230 per entry · 61 entries
Rules and rubric →Accessible nonfiction not more specifically covered by another category.
$225 per entry · 27 entries
Rules and rubric →First-person life writing, including personal, family, career, travel, and recovery narratives.
$240 per entry · 15 entries
Rules and rubric →Book-length accounts of another person’s life grounded in documented research.
$235 per entry · 38 entries
Rules and rubric →Entrepreneurship, leadership, management, workplace, sales, and professional development.
$250 per entry · 61 entries
Rules and rubric →Physical health, mental health, medicine, fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing.
$245 per entry · 51 entries
Rules and rubric →Documented accounts and interpretations of historical people, periods, and events.
$230 per entry · 42 entries
Rules and rubric →Books examining contemporary political, economic, cultural, humanitarian, or justice issues.
$260 per entry · 37 entries
Rules and rubric →Science writing, natural history, ecology, climate, conservation, and environmental studies.
$255 per entry · 72 entries
Rules and rubric →Practical books supporting personal growth, habits, motivation, and life skills.
$225 per entry · 16 entries
Rules and rubric →Practical and narrative nonfiction about parenting, caregiving, and family life.
$210 per entry · 15 entries
Rules and rubric →Travel narrative, place-based writing, and practical travel guides.
$215 per entry · 66 entries
Rules and rubric →Recipe collections, culinary history, food culture, and technique-led books.
$250 per entry · 33 entries
Rules and rubric →Faith, theology, spiritual practice, and reflective writing for general readers.
$205 per entry · 33 entries
Rules and rubric →Single-author poetry collections, chapbooks, and book-length sequences.
$200 per entry · 20 entries
Rules and rubric →Front-cover design judged independently of the book’s interior.
$220 per entry · 62 entries
Rules and rubric →Narration, interpretation, and production of an independently published audiobook.
$260 per entry · 67 entries
Rules and rubric →An author’s first full-length published book in any eligible form or genre.
$245 per entry · 66 entries
Rules and rubric →| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Literary Fiction | $240 |
| General Fiction | $220 |
| Mystery | $230 |
| Thriller & Suspense | $245 |
| Romance | $225 |
| Fantasy | $250 |
| Science Fiction | $255 |
| Horror | $235 |
| Historical Fiction | $240 |
| LGBTQ+ Fiction | $220 |
| Short Story Collection | $210 |
| Novella | $200 |
| Graphic Novel | $260 |
| Children's Picture Book | $235 |
| Early Reader & Chapter Book | $205 |
| Middle Grade Fiction | $220 |
| Young Adult Fiction | $230 |
| General Nonfiction | $225 |
| Memoir & Autobiography | $240 |
| Biography | $235 |
| Business & Career | $250 |
| Health & Wellness | $245 |
| History | $230 |
| Current Affairs & Social Issues | $260 |
| Science, Nature & Environment | $255 |
| Self-Help & Personal Development | $225 |
| Parenting & Family | $210 |
| Travel | $215 |
| Cookbook & Food Writing | $250 |
| Spirituality & Religion | $205 |
| Poetry | $200 |
| Cover Design | $220 |
| Audiobook | $260 |
| Debut Book of the Year | $245 |
What the fee pays for
The entry fee supports the administration and judging of the Indie Book Awards, including eligibility review, category placement, coordination of the judging process, and evaluation of submitted titles. Each eligible entry will be considered by the awards team against the published judging criteria. Entry fees do not guarantee shortlisting, nomination, finalist status, or an award. Selected shortlisted titles and winners may also receive recognition through our website, digital announcements, social media, and other awards-related promotional materials.
Fee waivers
We want the Indie Book Awards to remain accessible to independent and self-published authors. Authors experiencing genuine financial hardship may request a fee waiver before submitting their entry. Requests will be reviewed individually and subject to availability. Receiving a fee waiver has no impact on the judging process, and judges will not be informed whether an entrant paid an entry fee or received a waiver.