10 Book Contest Tips and Christian Indie Award Winner Announcement

From Edie: Discover 10 practical book contest tips to boost credibility, visibility, and sales—plus the 2026 Christian Indie Award winners announcement.

10 Book Contest Tips and Christian Indie Award Winner Announcement

by Susan U. Neal @SusanNealYoga

When your book wins a contest, its status elevates. It reassures readers that your book is worth their time, attention, and money. Book contests are one of the most effective—and often overlooked—marketing tools available to authors. Winning a contest can open doors to credibility, visibility, and sales. 

I know because when my book 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates won the Selah Award, monthly sales increased from fifty to 250 books a month. Here are ten practical tips to help you make the most of book contests, followed by an exciting announcement.

Tip #1

Enter your book into several contests during the first year after its publication. Many contests are only open to books published within the past year. Try to enter contests until your book wins at least one award. If you would like a list of Christian book contests check out the Christian Book Contest List in the Christian Indie Publishing Association at https://christianpublishers.net/.

In 2024 I entered my book 12 Ways to Age Gracefully into the following contests: 

• Golden Scrolls Awards (won third place),
• Selah Awards (did not final).

In 2025 I entered the book into these contests: 

• Readers’ Favorite,
• Living Now Awards (Mature Living Category).

Hopefully, the book will win another award which will provide fresh opportunities for publicity. 

Tip #2

Choose your book contest category carefully. If you enter a broad category such as Christian living, you may be competing against a large number of books. Instead, look for categories that typically have fewer entries, such as gift or Christian education. Those categories typically have less competition, which increases your chances of winning. 

For example, my book Healthy Living Journal won the Golden Scrolls Award for Best Inspirational Gift Book. I created a graphic featuring the book cover and award emblem highlighting the Best Gift Book honor, which I post on social media each fall to promote holiday gift sales.

Tip #3

Be sure to read and follow the contest guidelines exactly. Many contestants are eliminated because they fail to follow the instructions. If the contest requires two physical copies, send two—not one. Be sure your book arrives before the submission deadline. Most contests will email you a confirmation.

Tip #4

Even if you win third place, your book still won. You do not need to specify third place in your marketing materials. You can simply state your book is award-winning or that it won the Selah Awards.

Tip #5

Make sure your book is professionally edited. Often, I can tell from the back cover or the first few pages whether a book was professionally edited. Many unedited Christian books fail to follow the The Chicago Manual of Style rules—such as using an Oxford comma. 

If your book is not professionally edited, it likely will not place in a contest, and you will be wasting your money. As Christian authors, we represent the Lord, and we should do our best. You can find an editor at the Christian Editor Connection, which provides a free matching service to connect authors, publishers, and agents with qualified, established, professional editors.

Tip #6

If your book fits a specific genre, find a contest that includes that genre. For example, many Christian book contests do not have a business category, but the Christian Indie Awards and Axiom Awards do. For my most recent publication, How to Sell 1000 Books a Month, I entered it into the Axiom Awards 

Tip #7

If you finalize in a contest, attend the award ceremony. If you are attending a writers conference, be sure to enter their contest. There is nothing like getting dressed up and waiting on pins and needles to hear your name called. It is a thrilling experience. 

The writing life is full of rejection. Entering and winning a contest is one of the great highs of this career. Don’t miss this opportunity; you will never regret attending. 

Even if you don’t win, you can still celebrate those who do. That’s what I did at the last Golden Scrolls Awards when my book did not win. Nearly everyone at my table won an award, and I was happy for all of them. You can’t always be a winner, but in God’s eyes you are!

Tip #8

If you have won first, second, or third place, add the contest emblem to your book’s cover. Award seals add credibility and can boosts sales. 

For self-published authors, adding an emblem to the cover is easy, but not for traditionally published authors. However, some smaller traditional publishers will update covers—just ask. Elk Lake Publishing added the award emblem to my children’s book, Eat God‘s Food.

Tip #9

Once your book wins a contest, add a statement at the beginning of your Amazon book description indicating the award. For example, my book Eat God‘s Food: A Kids Guide to Healthy Eating includes this bold statement at the top of its Amazon description: 

Won the Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year Golden Scrolls Award!

This single sentence can significantly increase sales.

Tip #10

After your book wins a contest, create graphics and share the news on social media. Email your subscriber list, announcing your books win. Update your author bio to include “award-winning author.” 

Denise Lee Branco’s gift book Rabbit at the Sliding Door won ten contests. So she created a bookmark featuring all the award emblems along with the book cover. Now that’s outstanding marketing. 

2026 Christian Indie Award And CAN Marketing Award Winner Announcement

The Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Christian Indie Awards. This prestigious contest recognizes exceptional books by Christian authors who are making an impact in the world through faith-filled publishing. 

2026 Christian Indie Award Winners ChristianAward.com 

Category	Place	Title	Author/Publisher
Anthology	1st	Coffee With God: 31 Gratitude-filled Devotions	Becky Alexander, June Foster, Michael Loudiana, PhD, Carissa Lovvorn, Bonita Y. McCoy, Martha Walker Newman, Suzanne D. Nichols, Amy Recktenwald, Lisa Worthey Smith | Kerysso Press
Anthology	2nd	Wings: Hope for Widows in New Growth Seasons	Virginia Grounds | Breakthrough Christian Publishing
Bible Study	1st	From the Garden of Moses to the Garden of John	Janice E. Ocamb | Trilogy Christian Publishing
Bible Study	2nd	Beyond Finding Strength and Hope through Unexpected Storms	Cindy Saab | Redemption Press
Bible Study	3rd	ACTS: A Global Perspective	W. Robert Shade III | Illumify Media
Business Finance	1st	Unreasonable Responsibility	Joseph Sanders, PhD | Book Villages
Children’s Picture Books - Fiction	1st	The House Wisdom Built	Londa Hayden | Manning the Gate Publishing
Children’s Picture Books - Fiction	2nd	Lamba's Journey with Jesus	Del Bates | Redemption Press
Children’s Picture Books - Fiction	3rd	Growing Up Green and Gold	Judy DuCharme | Ambassador International
Children’s Picture Books - Nonfiction	1st	God, How Do You Love Me?	Mary Anne Quinn | End Game Press
Children’s Picture Books - Nonfiction	2nd	Big Hoorays: God’s Creation Days	Grandma Patches
Children’s Picture Books - Nonfiction	3rd	Little Sprout Say Yes	Jennifer E. Tirrell | Abundance Books
Children’s 8-12	1st	Paws-itive Inspirations: 90 Devotions for Kids and Dog Lovers	Michelle Medlock Adams & Wendy Hinote Lanier | Iron Stream Kids
Children’s 8-12	2nd	The Dreamer (To the Ends)	Jenny Marcelene | Calla Press Publishing
Children’s 8-12	3rd	The Journey Begins...	Gracie Lynne
Christian Education	1st	Making Your Message Memorable	Peg Arnold | Abundance Books
Christian Education	2nd	Know Your Enemy: Essays for Believers in Defense of Christianity	Douglas E Landon
Christian Education	3rd	Compass: A Navigational Tool to Discover your “Word of the Year”	Cindy Saab
Christian Living	Tied for 1st	The Power of Unshakable Faith in Navigating Life’s Trials	Dr. Rina Lucas
Christian Living	TIed for 1st	Prepare to Quit	Rose Ann Forte | Choose Freedom LLC
Christian Living	2nd	Don’t Cheat the Butterfly: A Battle, A Strategy, and A Mind Transformed	Kristen Smeltzer | Destiny Oak
Christian Living	Tied for 3rd	Through the Storm: Hearing God’s Voice Through Life’s Tempests	Kathy Vogel |  House of V
Christian Living	Tied for 3rd	Take up the Gauntlet: Preparing for Battle with the Armor of God	Alisa Hope Wagner | Marked Writers Publishing
Devotional	1st	It's a Good Day to be a Teacher	Gretchen Huesmann | Iron Stream Media
Devotional	2nd	Wilderness Paths and Desert Streams: 40 Devotions to Encourage Parched and Weary Souls	Lora Avery
Devotional	Tied for 3rd	God Adopted Us First: Faith Lessons From An Adoption Attorney's Adventures	Alice H. Murray | Iron Stream Media
Devotional	Tied for 3rd	Wading in the Waves: A 40-Day Journey of Healing Grief, Identity and Belonging in the Presence of God	Anita Garber, LSW | Tall Pine Books
General Fiction	Tied for 1st	Joline	Jim Sano | Full Quiver Publishing
General Fiction	Tied for 1st	Whatever It Takes	Sarah Hanks | SonFlower Books
General Fiction	Tied for 2nd	Unborn, Heavenly emissary interventions	Lona Schäfer | River Birch Press
General Fiction	Tied for 2nd	With Mercy's Eyes	D. T. Powell
General Fiction	3rd	The Call: Confronting the Shadows of Darkness	Betty A Rodgers-Kulich | Xulon Press
Gift	1st	Last Best Year: A Short Guide to a Grateful Life	Donna Wyland | Elk Lake Publishing
Gift	2nd	Wilderness Paths and Desert Streams: 40 Devotions to Encourage Parched and Weary Souls	Lora Avery
Historical Fiction	Tied for 1st	Princess of Moab: A Novel of Ruth	Marbeth Skwarczynski | Elk Lake Publishing
Historical Fiction	Tied for 1st	The Shining Men	Nicky Heymens | Malcolm Down Publishing
Historical Fiction	2nd	Beginnings: Book One of the Chronicles of Moses the Lawgiver	William George Meisheid | Sageline Publishing
Historical Fiction	3rd	The Jewel of Havilah: Antediluvian Adventures of Noah's Boys	Gregory Horning
Memoir / Biography	1st	Holy Plot Twists: God is Still Writing Your Story	Amanda Schaefer | Abundance Books
Memoir / Biography	Tied for 2nd	Sacred Sight:  Finding Hope Through Heartache	Glenda Love Durano | Legacy Press
Memoir / Biography	Tied for 2nd	Letters From Love's Battlefield	Kathryn M. Lackey | Iron Stream Media
Memoir / Biography	3rd	Singing Through Fire: A Memoir of Finding Surprising Joy in Life's Darkest Trials	Lara Silverman |  Isaiah 4320 Press
Mystery / Suspense	Tied for 1st	Race for Redemption	Chris G Thelen | Brookstone Publishing Group
Mystery / Suspense	Tied for 1st	Sweet Double-Cross	Sally Jo Pitts | Elk Lake Publishing
Mystery / Suspense	TIed for 2nd	Islands of Deception	Chris G Thelen | Brookstone Publishing Group
Mystery / Suspense	Tied for 2nd	Mara The Unseen Battle	Blossom Turner | TurnStyle Books
Mystery / Suspense	3rd	Masa Chronicles: The Copper Scroll	Nicholas Teeguarden
Novella	1st	Shep and the King of Hearts	Stacy J. Ladyman | Redemption Press
Personal Growth	Tied for 1st	Adult-O-Nomics: How to Nail It On Your Own	Tez Brooks
Personal Growth	Tied for 1st	Don’t Cheat the Butterfly: A Battle, A Strategy, and A Mind Transformed	Kristen Smeltzer | Destiny Oak
Personal Growth	2nd	Pieces of You: Knowing Who You Are in Light of Whose You Are	April Farlow | Yorkshire Publishing
Personal Growth	TIed for 3rd	The Great Trade: Exchanging Fear, Shame & Guilt for Freedom	Susie Lewis | Redemption Press
Personal Growth	Tied for 3rd	Mentoring: A Practical Guide for Growing and Developing Leaders	Kingston Ogango Ombisa | Publishing Institute of Africa
Poetry	1st	Anarchy of a Bitten Tongue	631 | Jars of Wine Press
Poetry	2nd	Bright Mornings, Lit Paths: Poems, Prayers and Prose Along the Way	Patti Jones Morgan | Signature Seasons Editions
Poetry	Tied for 3rd	Sacred Strains Of Praise	Michael Parker and Michael Shoemaker | Sheltering Tree Earth Publishing
Poetry	Tied for 3rd	Flowers Find A Way: Resilient Blooms and Relentless Faith	Amber Weigand-Buckley | BareFacedCreative Media
Relationships / Family	1st	Make Families Great Again	Dr. Mel Tavares | Simply Right Press
Relationships / Family	2nd	The Long Road Home: A Family's Journey Through Addiction	Robert and Jennifer  Ruesch | Illumify Media
Relationships / Family	3rd	Glory From the Ashes: How a YES to God’s Invitation Can Transform Your Marriage	Clinton and Nikki Mitchell | Do With Not For Publishing
Romance	1st	Love in the Castle Library	Ann Swindell | WhiteCrown Publishing
Romance	2nd	Deadline	Judah Knight | Greentree Publishers
Romance	3rd	Always	Andy M Davidson | Elk Lake Publishing
Speculative	1st	The Fire and The Serpent: Book One: Sojourners	Dieta Scheidecker
Speculative	2nd	Treetop	J. J. Dyer | Xulon Press
Speculative	3rd	Alien in My Land	Rick Larsen | Prints of Peace
Theology	1st	Through the Lens of An Ancient Yisra’elite Bible Study	Benjamin N Carrasquillo | WestBow Press
Young Adult	1st	Echoes of the Imperium	Angela D Shelton | Two Oaks Publishing
Young Adult	Tied for 2nd	Salvaged	Shanna M. Heath
Young Adult	Tied for 2nd	Truth at Crossbones Pass	Laura L. Morgan
Young Adult	3rd	Escape from Mother Earth:  Antediluvian Adventures of Noah's Boys	Gregory Horning

 

Christian Authors Network 2026 Excellence in Marketing Award Winners

Category	Place	Book or Ministry Title	Author
NONFICTION
Broadcast Media	2nd	It's a Good Day to be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators	Gretchen Huesmann
Broadcast Media	1st	SugarFreed: Stop Losing the Weight Loss Battle, Start Gaining the Victory	Christine Trimpe
Broadcast Media	3rd	Start Little, Dream Big	Linette Rainville
Physical Media	1st	Arise from Grief & Flourish Again	Amy Robnik Joob
Online Presence	1st	My Maker and Me: A Six-Week Bible Study of Becoming God's Beautiful Vessel	Pat Domangue
Online Presence	2nd	Welcome Home: A Guide to Homemaking, From the Heart	Gina Romero
FICTION
Online Presence	1st	63 Hours in Hell	Susan L. Davis
Broadcast Media	1st	Charlie's Trip – His Incredible Quest for God’s Embrace	David Hollenstein
Physical Media	1st	63 Hours in Hell	Susan L. Davis

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10 Book Contest Tips and Christian Indie Award Winner Announcement from @SusanNealYoga on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

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 DEMENTIAis a great resource. To learn more about Susan visit her website SUSANUNEAL.COM You can also connect with Susan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.