The Ink Book Prize -- Sarah Nicholson

There is a plethora of book awards up for grabs each year. Most of us have heard of the Pulitzer and Booker prizes, probably two of the most prestigious and instantly recognisable in the literary world. Then there are the British Book awards, sometimes called the Nibbies because of the nib shaped trophies. OK I will admit I Googled that one.

Others include the Kirkus Prize, Women’s Prize for fiction, International Dublin Literary Award, Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Hugo Award, and the Paul Torday Memorial Prize.

Each award has criteria to adhere to regarding date of publication, other specifications can be based on geography, gender, age, or genre. But most primarily reward those who have published through the traditional route with nominations from the publisher.

The Ink Book Prize has been “created to recognise and celebrate the outstanding literary work of self-published authors in the UK and Ireland.” It has been established by award-winning author Abiola Bello and award-winning publicist Helen Lewis and this was the inaugural year. There were prizes for fiction, non-fiction, and children’s fiction, alongside an award for best debut.

I entered the award back in May, making the deadline with only days to spare. There was a form to fill in, an entry fee of £25 and two copies of my book were sent to Abiola and Helen, this year’s judges.

At the end of August I received an email telling me my memoir, “In Search of Lost Glitter” had been shortlisted in the Non-Fiction and debut categories

On 19th September I travelled to London Bridge for the small networking event where the awards would be presented.

After an introduction they started with the debut category. The blurb for the winning book was read out and it was apparent this wasn’t my book so I put on my gracious loser face as it was awarded to Claire Linney for children’s book Time Tub Travellers and the Silk Thief.

She spoke incredibly well and her book sounds amazing. It is about children who travel back in time and discover black characters in British history – something so many of us do not realise existed. I can’t wait to read it.

The fiction prize was then awarded to Eva Asprakis for Thirty-eight Days of Rain. A younger writer with obvious talent and so much better at public speaking than she believes!

Children’s fiction was won by Eve Nairn-Magnante for Santa Steals Christmas, sadly she couldn’t be there on the evening.

Then they read out the blurb for the non-fiction and it was so obviously my words.

To be honest I can’t really remember what order the prizes were awarded in, all I know is I had to be gracious before being thrust into the limelight to make my own winners’ speech.

I had not prepared or even thought of anything to say but words came out as I waved my arms about, all the while clutching my elegant trophy.

with fellow winners Eva and Claire

It was certainly a memorable night and although it is only a small award that not many people have heard of, yet, I can always say I was a winner in the very first year.

On the Ink Book Prize website there is a page with 7 reasons WHY you should enter a book prize and I think it is a very good list.

1.       You have to be in it to win it

2.       It is an opportunity to expand your network

3.       It gives your book greater exposure

4.       Actually winning, or even being shortlisted, gives you something to add to you writing CV

5.       It proves the worth of you work

6.       It gives you a new experience

7.       Take a chance into a journey of success and see where it might lead

 

Do check out https://www.inkbookprize.co.uk/7-reasons-to-enter-book-prizes to see the reasons in more detail. 

And if you are a self-published consider entering your own work in the future – you really have nothing to lose! And so much to gain.