Christian Book Contests Elevate Authors and Enhance Careers

by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga

In the world of Christian publishing, book contests play a fundamental role in elevating an author's profile and enhancing their book’s marketability. Every author should enter several contests. Winning an award demonstrates the quality of the book and elevates an author’s status, which may open doors to broader audiences and opportunities. For example, after my non-published Bible study won an award at a conference, an agent offered a contract to represent me. 

The Power of Winning an Award

Winning a Christian book award has numerous benefits:

1. Market Visibility: Awards attract attention from book buyers, libraries, and bookstores, increasing overall market visibility.
2. Enhanced Credibility: Authors gain credibility as award-winning labels contribute to the book’s quality perception.
3. Promotional Opportunities: Awards provide material for press releases, social media content, and interviews which boost promotional efforts.
4. Career Advancement: Awards can lead to higher sales, more speaking engagements, and even publishing deals.

In 2018 my book, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates won first place in the Christian living category of the Selah award. The next month the book’s sales rose from a modest fifty books a month to 250–400 books per month for the next seven month. Winning that award ignited that book’s sales. 

Christian Book Contest List

The following comprehensive guide covers a range of Christian book awards, providing authors with opportunities to gain the recognition they deserve. Keep entering your book in contests until it wins.

American Book Fest Awards—This contest was established in 2003, and it highlights the diversity and richness within Christian fiction and non-fiction. Entry deadlines vary, with winners announced later in the year. For more information click here.

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Contest—From first-time authors to seasoned writers, the ACFW contests—including the First Impressions, The Genesis Contest, and The Carol Award—offer platforms for unpublished and published authors. These contests are celebrated for advancing the careers of Christian fiction writers. Check out the details at https://acfw.com/acfw-contests/.

Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) Awards—The Golden Scroll Awards and Christian Market Book of the Year focus on recognizing excellence among authors and speakers in the Christian community. These awards are announced at the annual AWSA conference in August at https://awsa.com/. I always enter my books in this award and attend the spirit-filled conference.

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Award—These awards, including the Selah and Foundation Awards, are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. They honor excellence in Christian writing across genres, with a special emphasis on nurturing writers' spiritual and professional growth. This is another contest I don’t miss. Find more information here. 

Christy Award—As one of the highest honors in Christian fiction, the Christy Award recognizes novels that represent the best, most impactful, and inspiring works in the industry. Winning this award can significantly enhance an author's reputation and book sales. Check out the details at https://www.christyawards.com/.

Christian Indie Awards—These awards highlight the achievements of independent Christian authors and small publishers. Offering recognition in various categories, they focus on the quality and message of Christian books. This contest offers a significant boost to an author’s platform through intensive marketing efforts for the winners. Be sure to enter at https://christianaward.com/.

Dragonfly Book Awards—The Purple Dragonfly and Royal Dragonfly Awards recognize excellence in children’s books and are great for authors aiming to impact younger audiences with Christian themes. Find out more here. 

Illumination Awards—These awards specifically honor the year’s best new titles written and published with a Christian worldview. Recognizing books across a wide array of genres, the Illumination Awards (https://illuminationawards.com/) shine a light on the works that inspire faith. 

Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards—This award celebrates the achievements of independent authors and publishers and include a category for religious fiction and non-fiction. Winning an IPPY is a sign of excellence that can attract attention. Find more information at https://ippyawards.com/.

Moonbeam Children’s Book Award—This award celebrates exemplary children's books that inspire creativity, tolerance, and lifelong reading. Particularly focused on children’s literature, this award aims to honor books that support family values at https://moonbeamawards.com/.

Writing Conference Contests

In addition to the competitions listed above, there are contests at many Christian writer conferences. And these awards can be for articles, blogs, and many other categories that you may not find in a book contest. If you plan to attend a conference, be sure to check out and enter their competition. 

• The Asheville Christian Writers Conference hosts the Sparrow Award and Devotion Contests here. 
• The Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference hosts the Living Water Awards for published and unpublished works at https://bluelakecwr.com/living-waters-awards/.
• The Florida Christian Writers Conference hosts the SonShine Awards for unpublished works at https://word-weavers.com/conferencecontest.
• The Well Conference hosts the Oasis Awards for unpublished Christian fiction and nonfiction manuscripts at https://seeyouatthewell.net/contests/.

In addition to book contests, there is a marketing contest, Christian Authors Network Excellence in Marketing Award. The top-place winner of this award wins a $1995 publicity package with Jones Literary public relations firm. Enter the contest at https://christianauthorsnetwork.com/marketing-award/.

For authors in the Christian literary market, entering book contests is not just about the potential to win but also about the opportunity to gain exposure, validate quality, and build a reputation within the community. Participating in these contests should be viewed not only as a chance to win but as a strategic move in an author’s career. These contests provide a multitude of opportunities to gain recognition. Which one do you plan on entering?

For more information on book contests and to explore additional resources for Christian authors, please visit CIPA.Podia.com which provides an extensive list of book contests, writer conferences, podcast media, and much more. 

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Susan U. Neal, RN, MBA, MHS: Susan’s mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health science. She is a CERTIFIED HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHwith the American Association of Christian Counselors. She published five books, the Selah award winner 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, CHRISTIAN STUDY GUIDE FOR 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, HEALTHY LIVING JOURNAL, SCRIPTURE YOGAa #1 Amazon best-selling yoga book, and YOGA FOR BEGINNERSwhich ranked #3. She published two sets of Christian Yoga Card Decks and two Christian Yoga DVDs that are available at CHRISTINAYOGA.COM. Her digital product HOW TO PREVENT, IMPROVE, AND REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA is a great resource. To learn more about Susan visit her website SUSANUNEAL.COM You can also connect with Susan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.