Support for Indie Authors discussion

I received an ad from NABE asking if I wanted to submit my book for the 2019 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards - for a fee/buying a membership of course. Has anyone done this? Results? Worth the money?

If you can afford it, seems like it couldn't hurt! But I know nothing about this.

Rule of thumb, if they contacted you, run the other direction. Awards are nice but they don't garner you any success. You might get a few sales if anyone knows what the award is or are into that type of thing. It is great for bragging rights. Look at the cost versus posible sales. See if you can find a book who has that particular award on a best seller list. If you can't find one then it probably isn't worth the price of admission.

So I looked. As far as I can see it's just another awards program scam. It costs $90 to join but no entry fee? Seriously?

Then I went looking further and found an article on Writer Beware labled: When a Writing Contest Has a Hidden Agenda. Take a look at this excerpt from it:

Other published book contest moneymakers include Readers Favorite ($89, over 70 categories, plenty of adjunct merchandise and services for sale) and the Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards ($90, over 40 categories; the current entry deadline is March 16, with winners announced in "late March," which wouldn't seem to allow much time for judging)

In short: It's a scam.

Thank you for the effort you put in!

I always ask these people. If your promotion is so good and so successful I am willing to split my royalties with you. If you're that good then you will come out way ahead. In any case I'll pay NO up front fees.

I completely agree with Bill. As a general safety rule, be wary of anything with an entry fee.

Somebody entered one of my books for the Bards and Sages eFestival of Books Award 2018. I didn't have to pay anything but you do need to be nominated. I was surprised to be entered and even more surprised to win in my category - in other words, it's not rigged!

If you know someone who writes well, why not surprise them? And it's FREE!

If you are at a book fair with your book on display, it is merely a talking point. No one in the Biz considers it much of anything. That said. WHY people purchase books is obscure. It might help. WHAT are you trying to do: make $ or sell books?