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IPPY Awards / Ben Franklin Awards

Glynn

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This thread seems to have meandered around quite a bit, mostly concerned with trashing FernReiss and some pretty adolescent "yucks" ridiculing awards, etc., but I wonder if someone would mind addressing the IPPY and Franklin awards (I assume that the legitimacy of IPPY is questionable since they require an entrance fee.) but no one said anything about the Franklin awards except in passing. What about them? Where can I find out more about them? Also, can anyone contribute information about legitimate awards available for small publishers, etc. Is there a thread or forum somewhere in the Absolute Write Forum labyrinth where I can find out about legitmate awards if there are any?
 

batgirl

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should this be a new thread?

Glynn, I'm not an authority, but the page for the Benjamin Franklin Award seems to be here. And information on applying is here.
No fee seems to be involved (on a quick read-through).
Information on the IPPY is here, and it says there's a $70 entry fee. Which sounds more like a contest than an award - in fact they both sound more like contests, but what do I know?
-Barbara
 

Glynn

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Brian S. Matthews's book New Wilderness (published by Aydy Press,) was a finalist for science fiction in last year's IPPY contest. Brian has read Paul Even Hughs's book Enemy, which was the co-finalist in the contest, and Brian says that Hughs's book is an excellent piece of work.

Brian also says that after paying the registration fee for IPPY, he received a marketing pitch from IPPY, which he rejected somewhat abruptly, but his book was a finalist nevertheless. It appears that even though IPPY may use registration for the contest as an opportunity to pitch their services, the contest itself is legitimate and unbiased.

Aydy Press is publishing a revised edition of my first novel, A Perfect Peace later this year or at the beginning of 2007. I am publishing my second novel Arise Beloved under my own imprint next month and intend to enter it in the IPPY contest. I'll let you know what happens.
 

veinglory

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There are plenty of awards that charge an entry fee--I think it is a less than stellar idea but it isn;t an automatic indication of a problem (e.g. the EPPIES)
 

Lauri B

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I have very mixed feelings about both the Ben Franklin Award and the IPPY. We have applied to both in the past (and won a couple of IPPY awards). I no longer apply to the IPPY awards, because I think what started out to be a good idea has turned into an award factory--they now offer a bunch of "marketing options," and the whole thing just doesn't appeal to me anymore. (I like the editor of Independent Publisher, who also helps judge the IPPY awards, though--he's a good guy).

I have found the judging of the Ben Franklin awards to be really haphazard--last year we submitted a very regional, very specific sailing book to the awards under the category for regional books. One of the judge's comments was that the book was "too regional, but if I were interested in sailing I might like it." I called PMA about the comment because if that's the quality of the judging, then there is no point in entering it. I think winning a Ben Franklin award is probably a pretty nice feather in an independent publisher's cap, though.

Small publishers are just as eligible to submit books to the "big" awards programs as any of the trades, including the National Book Award, Parents' Choice Awards, ASJA awards, Golden Kite (children's book), ALA awards (which include the Newbery and Caldecott), etc.
 

Maryn

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[Has anybody thanked you lately for keeping things updated, CaoPaux? Smooch!]
 

kevinwaynewilliams

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I'm getting e-mails encouraging me to submit for IPPY. What's the latest view? Worthwhile? Fraud? Little of both?
 

KMTolan

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If the emails are coming from the IPPY folks then I'd be scratching my head. Might want to look at the EPPIES (now EPIC E-Book Awards). The fee is modest and tends to cover expenses around putting on the awards.

Kerry
 

kevinwaynewilliams

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Bouncing this back up to the top. I'm going to assume the IPPY awards are no longer worth it if I still see no response.
 

CaoPaux

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