Paid-entry recognition
NYC Big Book Award
NYC Big Book Award (Independent Press Award family)
In short
The NYC Big Book Award is a paid-entry program run by the organizers of the Independent Press Award, open to any author or publisher anywhere, in more than 200 categories, with no limit on how old the book is. What a winner gets is a seal, a listing, and marketing banners, and the audience is mainly independent authors and their readers rather than booksellers or review editors. Check whether your publisher wants a paid-entry seal on the book; if not, you can enter and pay directly, $99 per category.
Deadline December 15, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Every label is a fact from the official rules, never a judgment about whether the award is worth entering. How we describe awards.
The NYC Big Book Award is a paid-entry recognition program run from New Jersey by the same organizer as the Independent Press Award. It is open to any classification of author and publisher, from independent authors to major presses, from anywhere in the world, and it offers more than 200 categories across fiction and nonfiction for children through adults.
The year of publication is not limited. Books must be published and available for sale with an ISBN, ASIN, or similar product code, and may be bilingual as long as they include English. Audiobooks are accepted with an Audible gift code. Entries go in online, by mail, or as a PDF or EPUB file by email, followed by one physical copy regardless of how many categories are entered.
The fee is $99 per book per category, then $79 for each additional category for the same title. Deadlines roll through the year; the next stated deadline is December 15, 2026. Winners and Distinguished Favorites are notified by October.
Why it may matter
The program's value is the seal, the announcement issue, and the digital banners it supplies to winners and Distinguished Favorites, and its audience is mostly independent authors and their readers rather than trade buyers or review outlets. Because a large share of entrants receive some designation, the marketing use is the point. Consider it when an award seal on the cover or listing is the goal and the book has no publication-date fit with other programs.
2027 cycle: 2027 program (rolling deadlines)
- Final deadline
- December 15, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- Rolling deadlines; the rules page states the next deadline as December 15, 2026. Year of publication is not limited.
- Entry fee
- $99 per book entry per category, then $79 for each additional category per title; U.S. dollars only, no refundsChecked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Winners and Distinguished Favorites notified by October
- Notes
- The rules page is headed with 2026 while the home page refers to 2027 submissions; the December 15, 2026 date is the only deadline stated
| Tier | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Per book, per category | December 15, 2026 | $99 |
| Each additional category for the same title | December 15, 2026 | $79 |
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
Deadlines are rolling, so the date on the rules page is the next cutoff rather than a single annual close; the site also says 2027 submissions are being considered. All sales are final and there are no refunds, so check the category fit before paying.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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