# Cash Prizes for Indie-Published Authors
Are you an indie author looking for a chance to showcase your talent? The Indie Author Project Annual Contest is looking for the best indie-published e-book in seven genres. Submit your work before May 31 for your chance to win $2,500 and other amazing prizes!
# Each book that is submitted to the contest must be:
- Indie-Published
-
In one of the following genres:
- Mystery/Thrillers
- Romance
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Historical Fiction
- General/Contemporary Fiction
- Memoir
- Young Adult
- Geared toward an adult or young adult audience
- Available in either ePUB (strongly recommended) or PDF format
- Also please note: there is no limit on publication date. All publication dates are allowed.
If your book meets the above criteria, click below to get started.
This contest is a powerful way to elevate your career and writing goals. Along with the accolade of the award and its perks, being recognized by librarians creates credibility and visibility for indie authors, setting them apart in a growing marketplace of digital content and indie-published books. Find out more about how you can participate, get the Author Rubric, and read the Frequently Asked Questions on the Indie Author Project Annual Contest guidelines page.
Don’t see your genre included? Not a fiction author? Even if your books are in other genres, you can still gain exposure and new readership by submitting your e-book to the Indie Author Project. After submitting, your ebook can be shared with participating libraries throughout your state, and if your title is chosen by the Indie Author Project network of curators, it will also be available alongside other top indie reads in participating libraries all across the U.S. and Canada.
# Celebrating Self-Publishers
Jacksonville, Florida, is the home of many talented writers. To make their work accessible to the entire community, Jacksonville Public Library created the Local Author Collection.
Learn more about self-publishing e-books and FREE access to the Indie Author Project and Pressbooks self-publishing platforms. You can also check out some of the e-books that have already been submitted on our Biblioboard page.
Are you a local author or small press with a book, CD or DVD that you'd like us to consider adding to the collection? Click here to request a local author submission form.
Want more tips? Learn more about marketing your book to the library.
# FREE Writing Workshops
# Writer's Lab Workshop: Authors Roundtable
Exploring Cultures and Genres - Saturday, April 6, at 10:15 a.m.
Through a Q&A-style lecture, you will learn how to infuse personal culture into your writing and how to invite your reader in. You'll also explore place-based writing as a generative exercise. Authors Roundtable is a local 501C3 that supports authors in reaching their highest potential.
Meeting on the first Saturday of every month at the Main Library, authors participate in educational forums, workshops, classes, and events.
# Writer's Lab Workshop: There's No Place Like Poem
Learn to write creatively about locale with instructor Anna Claire Hodge on Saturday, April 13, at 12 p.m. at the Willow Branch Library. In this interactive workshop, we'll discuss how poets use vivid imagery, sensory details, and cultural references to transport readers to specific locations. Participants will generate their own work and discover how landscapes, cities, and personal surroundings can serve as powerful catalysts for creative expression.
Dr. Anna Claire Hodge is a poet and former professor of creative writing. She holds a Ph.D. and MFA in poetry, and her work has appeared in numerous publications both literary and mainstream. The workshop will end with a reading of her work and a Q&A.
# Writer's Lab Workshop: Authors Roundtable
Marketing Yourself as an Author- Saturday, May 4, at 10:15 a.m.
Through a Q&A-style lecture, you will walk away with some basic knowledge for marketing your work and essential resources to build readership. Authors Roundtable is a local 501C3 that supports authors in reaching their highest potential.
Check out what they have in store for June!
# Writer's Lab Workshop: Launch and Grow Your Substack Newsletter
Hurley Winkler writes the popular Substack newsletter Lonely Victories for an engaged audience of writers and readers. She joins us for another Writer's Lab to share her keys to success on Tuesday, May 21, at 6 p.m. live at the Regency Square Branch Library.
You will learn about newsletter content strategies, the benefits of Substack over other social media platforms, and monetizing your newsletter.
Hurley Winkler leads the Book Club for Writers and teaches classes for writers. Hurley also hosts and produces the Jax Music Hour on WJCT News 89.9, broadcasting every Saturday at 8 p.m. Her writing has been published in The Millions, Neutral Spaces, and Hobart, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. She is currently on submission with her first novel.
