Gain Industry Recognition With a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award
For 25 years, the prestigious Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards has been opening doors for independent and university press books.
From emerging indie-published authors to established presses, winners gain invaluable exposure to our audience of 30,000+ librarians, booksellers, and industry professionals worldwide.
WHY ENTER THE INDIES
What are the Benefits of Being an INDIES Finalist?
Acquisition
Librarians and booksellers rely on book awards as trusted guides when acquiring new titles, using finalist status to identify exceptional works worth adding to their shelves.
Visibility
Award-recognized books receive premium placement, featured displays, and special promotion within libraries and bookstores—catching the attention of patrons and staff alike.
Credibility
The INDIES finalist distinction lends immediate credibility, giving librarians and booksellers confidence when recommending your book to patrons seeking quality reads.
“I have the gold finalist seal on every copy of [my novel]. Many readers have commented that seeing that made a difference to the way they first approached purchasing it. Foreword Reviews’s name is well-established and respected.”
— P.S., Author
PRIZES FOR FINALISTS AND WINNERS
Get Your Book the Recognition It Deserves
Becoming an INDIES finalist or winner opens doors to unprecedented exposure for your book. Here's what you'll receive:
Unparalleled Industry Exposure
Your book showcased in Foreword magazine, reaching over 30,000 acquisition decision-makers at libraries and bookstores nationwide
Strategic feature placement in our weekly digital newsletters read by 8,000+ industry professionals actively seeking quality independent titles
Curated social media campaigns that position your book before our engaged audience of publishing professionals and avid readers
Premium display at international book fairs and events through the Foreword Independent Press Collective, putting your book directly in front of global industry leaders
Complete Marketing Acceleration Package
Comprehensive INDIES winner marketing toolkit with professionally designed digital assets for your website, email campaigns, and social platforms
Exclusive advertising opportunities in Foreword magazine (30,000 librarian and bookseller readers) and on forewordreviews.com (1.5+ million annual visitors) at preferred rates
Ready-to-use press release templates crafted by industry experts to maximize media coverage
500 prestigious foil award seals (for Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mention winners) to enhance your book's physical presence and perceived value
Cash Prize
Two substantial $1,500 cash prizes awarded annually—one each for outstanding fiction and nonfiction—recognizing the highest achievement in independent publishing
The INDIES Book of the Year Awards transform remarkable books into recognized successes. Your book deserves to be among them.
“Book awards are an important way to differentiate among hundreds of thousands of books. It has certainly helped us with foreign rights. So far, his book has sold in Brazil, Poland, Taiwan, China, and Korea. And the Chinese publisher lists several of the awards right on the book cover.”
— L.P., Author
THE JUDGING PROCESS
Expert Judges Who Buy Books for a Living
If your book is selected as an INDIES finalist, it will be evaluated by the very professionals you want to reach—librarians and booksellers who make millions in purchasing decisions annually. Our rigorous judging process sets the INDIES apart, putting your work directly in front of these key industry buyers.
Each finalist undergoes careful evaluation based on:
✓ Editorial excellence
✓ Professional production quality
✓ Narrative originality
✓ Genre innovation
This prestigious evaluation process helps explain why INDIES winners consistently find their way onto library and bookstore shelves nationwide.
When you enter the INDIES, you're not just competing for an award—you're showcasing your book to the decision-makers who matter most.
“Since my novel was nominated as a finalist in Foreword Reviews’s INDIES Book of the Year Award and after it won Silver in the Thriller/Suspense category, many other companies have recognized it. Your company has also helped me gain exposure in the press. From online sites to mainstream media outlets, there have been several articles written about this book—Walmart is even carrying it online now! I have a few movie producers who are interested in the story—so I just finished writing the screenplay.”
— D.A., Author
APPLICATION PROCESS
We’ve streamlined the entry process to make it as quick and simple as possible.
The entire application process is managed through our main website, and notifications are sent to your email along the way (be sure to verify your email address). Here’s the timeline you can expect, starting with registration and through the winners announcement:
We’ll send you an email with instructions for claiming your complimentary 1-year subscription to Foreword magazine
Send two copies of your book (physical or digital) to the address on the receipt by January 15, 2026 (if you don’t receive a copy of your receipt please email christopher@forewordreviews.com.)
We’ll send you an email letting you know we’ve received your book
Finalists will be announced in March on our website and our social media channels
Finalist seals for your book cover, a Foreword INDIES marketing toolkit, and Foreword-exclusive advertising opportunities for finalists will immediately become available to finalists when they are announced
Winners will be announced in June on our website and our social media channels
Gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention seals for your book cover and Foreword-exclusive advertising opportunities for winners will immediately become available to winners when they are announced
Winners will be sent a packet containing a winner certificate, 500 seals for your book cover, and marketing tips soon after the announcement
“I think getting the book in the hands of people who will not only read it, but who are also in a position to purchase, order, and/or recommend it is a good use of $100 bucks, irrespective of outcome.”
— A.A., Author
Frequently Asked Questions
Are books published before 2025 eligible for this year's INDIES Awards?
No. The INDIES Book of the Year Awards only accept titles published during the current award year.
For the 2025 INDIES Awards, only books with a publication date between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, are eligible for consideration. This ensures that each competition showcases and celebrates the very latest in independent publishing.
If your book was published in a previous year, we encourage you to explore our other promotional opportunities through Foreword that can help increase visibility for backlist titles. Our review services, advertising options, and special features are available to quality independent books regardless of publication date.
For books scheduled to be published in 2026, please watch for our next awards cycle announcement, which typically opens for submissions in the spring.
Do you accept advance reading copies or final copies?
We accept both ARCs and final copies, but final copies are preferred and ARCs will be judged as if they were final copies.
Why do I need to send two copies of my book?
Finalist books are each sent to two different judges: one librarian and one bookseller. Two copies of the book allows us to send each of the judges their own copies of each book.
Do I need to send both a physical copy and an eBook?
No, and we prefer that you only send two physical copies or an eBook, not both.
What books are eligible to compete?
Any independently published book—including those from self-published authors and university presses—published in 2025, and available for purchase in print or e-book formats. Revised editions of previously issued books are eligible for entry only with newly issued ISBNs. Reissued editions are not eligible for entry.
When do books need to be sent to your offices?
The deadline for entries is January 15, 2026. Judging begins February 1; please ensure your books have arrived at our offices before then.
Where should I send my books?
Physical books (two copies) should be mailed to the following address accompanied by an entry form, online receipt, or order number and category:
Attn Foreword INDIES
Foreword Reviews
12935 SW Bay Shore Dr., Suite 380
Traverse City MI 49684
Ebooks are only accepted in the PDF format. The file must be downloadable and able to be shared with our judges and editors. Files under 25 MB should be emailed as an attachment. Files 25 MB and larger must be uploaded elsewhere and the link to download it should be emailed to us.
Ebooks, along with an order number, should be emailed to (you will be notified by email when we receive your entry):
ebooks+awards@forewordreviews.com
Foreword will not be held liable for the loss, damage, or return of any books submitted for awards.
How do I claim my complimentary 1-year subscription to Foreword magazine?
Once you’ve registered your books and paid, we’ll send you an email with instructions for claiming your complimentary subscription. Alternatively, you can view your available complimentary subscriptions at any time and claim through there.
For additional assistance, please email us at christopher@forewordreviews.com.
“The gold finalist seal from Foreword on the front of my book has really helped sales (7500 copies). My rank on Amazon is still high (about 104,000).”
— K.P., Author
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