Can You Buy a Book Award? The Truth About Paid Literary Prizes

August 14, 2026

Are paid book awards worthwhile for independent authors—and do readers actually care?

A gold seal on the cover of a book certainly looks impressive. It suggests quality, approval and perhaps even a little literary magic. But when an author has paid to enter the award, is that seal still meaningful? And, more importantly, will it persuade anybody to buy the book?

I have been looking into literary awards because, like many independent authors, I regularly receive invitations to submit my books. Some sound prestigious. Some offer reviews, certificates, stickers and publicity. Most require a fee.

So, are they genuine awards, clever marketing—or simply an expensive pat on the back?

Paying to enter is not the same as paying to win

First, an entry fee does not automatically make an award disreputable. Reading and judging hundreds of books costs money. Even major awards may charge publishers or expect substantial contributions towards promotion if a book is shortlisted. The Carnegie Medals, for example, state that publishers of shortlisted titles are asked to contribute approximately £2,500 towards publicity materials sent to schools and libraries.

The important question is not simply, “Do I have to pay?” It is:

“What exactly am I paying for, and how selective and influential is the award?”

A credible award should be open about:

who the judges are;
how books are assessed;
how many prizes are awarded;
previous winners;
all fees and additional costs;
what entrants and winners actually receive.

Warning signs include vague judging, an extraordinary number of winners, constant congratulatory emails, compulsory purchases of seals or certificates, and grand claims about “prestige” with no evidence that booksellers, librarians or readers recognise the name.

Do awards mean anything to customers?

Some do—enormously.

A Carnegie Medal, Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal or Booker Prize can change the life of a book. These names are recognised across publishing, bookselling, libraries, schools and the media. Shortlisted books receive national attention, prominent displays and institutional buying.

Less familiar awards work differently. The average parent browsing Amazon may respond positively to an attractive “award-winning” seal without knowing the organiser. It can provide a small signal of reassurance, especially when the book has few reviews. But the badge is competing with factors that usually matter more:

the cover;
the description;
the child’s age and interests;
reviews from other customers;
price;
recommendations from teachers, librarians, booksellers or friends;
familiarity with the author or series.

An obscure medal may help a customer who is already considering the book. It is unlikely to create demand by itself.

There is also a danger in covering a beautiful front cover with several unfamiliar seals. Instead of increasing trust, it can begin to look like advertising. One genuinely relevant award, displayed neatly and explained in the description, is stronger than a collection of badges that readers do not recognise.

How much extra revenue will an award bring?

This is where confident marketing claims tend to become rather hazy.

Research has shown major sales effects for major prizes. One study found that winning France’s highly prestigious Prix Goncourt increased sales by around 350 per cent. That prize, however, attracts national news coverage and huge bookseller attention. It tells us nothing reliable about the likely effect of a small paid award.

I could find no audited, independent figures showing the average extra sales generated by Literary Titan or the better-known indie awards. Testimonials may be sincere, but they are not the same as sales data. Nor can we know whether a winning book sold because of the medal, the author’s advertising, a successful launch or the quality of the book itself.

The sensible approach is to treat an entry as a marketing expense and calculate the break-even point.

If an award costs £59 and the author earns £2 per copy, it must generate 30 additional sales merely to recover the fee. A £109 entry needs 55 additional sales. That is before buying physical stickers, ordering books, paying postage or advertising the result.

The word “additional” is crucial. Sales that would have happened anyway do not count as a return on the award.

The most prestigious children’s book awards

For UK children’s authors and illustrators, the Carnegie Medals for Writing and Illustration sit at the top. They are the UK’s longest-running children’s book awards and are nominated and judged by librarians. Authors cannot simply fill in a form and nominate themselves: CILIP members and approved organisations nominate eligible books.

The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is another major prize because it is backed by a national bookseller and voted for by Waterstones booksellers. It can bring prominent shop placement and widespread publicity. In practice, submissions are part of the book-trade relationship between publishers and Waterstones rather than a straightforward author-entry competition.

The new Children’s Booker Prize is for fiction aimed at eight-to-twelve-year-olds. Its first winner will be announced in February 2027, with £50,000 for the winner, £2,500 for each shortlisted author and at least 30,000 copies of shortlisted and winning books given to children. Eligible titles must be submitted by UK or Irish publishers.

Internationally, the Hans Christian Andersen Award and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award are among the highest honours in children’s literature. They recognise an established body of work rather than one hopeful submission. Candidates must be nominated through approved national or international organisations; they are not awards an individual author can enter directly.

In the United States, the Newbery Medal for writing and Caldecott Medal for picture-book illustration are exceptionally influential, particularly with schools and libraries.

These awards are prestigious precisely because they cannot simply be bought, entered casually or guaranteed.

What can a self-published children’s author realistically enter?

The Selfies Book Awards are probably the most strategically relevant UK prize specifically for professional self-published authors. They include a children’s category and are run by the book-trade journal BookBrunch, with support from recognised industry organisations. Judges consider not just the story but the production, cover, blurb and marketing plan. Category winners receive £750, publicity and industry benefits. Entries are restricted to books published within the stated eligibility year, so preparation has to begin before the deadline.

The Rubery Book Award is UK-based, international and specifically welcomes independent and self-published books. It has a Children’s and YA category, publishes its judges and winners, and currently charges £46 to enter. Its name will not have the public recognition of the Carnegie, but it is a more natural fit for indie authors.

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards are also designed for independent authors. Children’s entries are read by pupils in schools, which gives the judging particular relevance. Its standard entry is £59; a £109 option includes feedback, a quotation and reviews whether or not the book becomes a finalist. Again, I would judge its value as a combined feedback-and-marketing service, not purely by the medal.

There are many more awards, particularly in the United States, but entering several can quickly consume an author’s entire marketing budget. Relevance matters more than quantity.

How do you win a prestigious award?

There is no secret form that places a book in front of the Carnegie judges. For the highest-profile awards, the route begins much earlier:

Produce an exceptional book—writing, illustration, editing, design and printing all matter.
Check eligibility before publication, because dates, formats, territories and age ranges are often strict.
Make the book genuinely available through the book trade, not only on one online retailer.
Build relationships with librarians, schools, booksellers, reviewers and reading organisations.
Give publishers, librarians or other eligible nominators enough time to discover and read it.
For self-entry awards, study the judges and previous winners before spending anything.
Enter the book that best matches the category, rather than submitting every title everywhere.

Prestigious recognition is usually the result of an outstanding book being read, championed and placed in the right hands. It is not a marketing shortcut.

My verdict

Paid-entry awards can be worthwhile—but only if I am clear about what I want from them.

If the aim is a professional review quote, child-reader feedback, a reason to contact local press or a fresh piece of promotional content, a carefully chosen indie award may earn its place in the marketing budget. The value may be promotional rather than financial.

If the sole aim is to increase book sales, I would be cautious. There is no reliable evidence that an unfamiliar badge will repay its fee, and the same money might work harder on advertising, school visits, review copies or improving the next book.

My rule would be simple: never pay merely to be called an award-winning author. Pay only when the judging is credible and the benefits would still have some value even if the book does not win.

That may not be quite as glittering as a shelf full of gold stickers—but it is a much better way to protect both an author’s money and a reader’s trust.

Sources and further reading

Information and fees checked on 8 August 2026. Award rules and prices can change, so authors should always check the organiser’s current terms before entering.