Literary Contests - Romance

Betty Trask Prize & Awards

The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. The award was established in 1984 by the Society of Authors at the bequest of the late Betty Trask, a reclusive author of over thirty romance novels. The awa...

London,   UK

Blue Ridge Mountains CWC Directors Choice Awards

Past and present attendees of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference are eligible to submit their published work to this contest. ...

Ridgecrest, NC   US

Book Excellence Awards

The Book Excellence Awards (www.bookexcellenceawards.com) is an international book awards competition. The Book Excellence Awards is dedicated to helping authors and publishers increase their visibility, credibility and book sales through extended support and resources on topics such as publis...

Toronto, ON   CA

CALIBA Golden Poppy Awards

The members of CALIBA present The Golden Poppy Book Awards to recognize the most distinguished books written by writers and artist who make California their home. The Golden Poppies are given for books published in the following categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Cooking & Food, Mystery, Romance,...

Campbell, CA   US

Carol Awards

The Carol Awards are ACFW’s recognition for the best Christian fiction published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar year. Beginning with the 2015 Carol Awards program, certain independently published Christian fiction will be eligible. <p>Qualifying titles shall be wri...

Palm Bay, FL   US

Center for Fiction First Novel Prize

The First Novel Prize is given to a debut novel published in the United States between January 1st and December 31st of the competing year. In December, the shortlisted authors are celebrated at our First Novel Fête and the winner is announced at our Annual Awards Benefit. Only first-time novelist...

Brooklyn, NY   US

Chatelaine Awards

Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring romantic themes and adventures of the heart,historical love affairs, perhaps a little steamy romance, we will put them to the test and choose the best among them. (Hint: check other genres for romance categories as well, such as parano...

Bellingham, WA   US

Christian Indie Awards

Christian Indie Awards (formerly Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Awards) honors books produced by small publishers and independent authors each year for outstanding contribution to Christian life. Books are nominated by the publishers or authors and voting is open to Christian readers, re...

Pace, FL   US

Christy Awards

Every year publishers are invited to submit novels written from a Christian worldview and copyrighted in the year preceding the awards.<p>To be eligible, you must submit a full-length work of fiction, including a novella published as a freestanding entity.<p> All eligible submissions ...

Lawrence, KS   US

CIPA EVVY Book Awards

The EVVY awards are open to any independently or self-published print book, e-book or audio book and may be submitted by the author, publisher or credited service provider (Illustrator, designer, editor, printer, consultant, etc). CIPA membership is NOT REQUIRED. ...

Lakewood, CO   US

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Each year the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) sponsors the FAPA President's Book Awards, which recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors and publishers. This contest isn't limited to Florida, it is open to anyone t...

Fort Myers, FL   US

Feathered Quill Book Awards

Feathered Quill Book Awards, a program run by Feathered Quill Book Reviews, a leader in online book review sites, awarding books with gold, silver, and bronze designations in a total of twenty-four categories. In addition, Feathered Quill also includes finalists – these are books with scores clos...

Goshen, MA   US

Florida Book Awards

The Florida Book Awards is an annual competition that exists for one purpose--to honor the best work written by Florida authors and about Florida culture in the previous year. Begun in 2006, the Florida Book Awards is the most comprehensive state book awards program in the United States, and the onl...

Tallahassee, FL   US

Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards

You have a great book, you’re looking for some recognition, and you want a wider audience to fall in love with it. That’s where Foreword’s annual book awards program comes in. The IndieFab Awards recognize the best in indie book publishing, and has been doing so for fifteen years. Our prestigi...

Traverse City, MI   US

Genesis Contest

The ACFW Genesis Contest is for unpublished Christian fiction writers. With ten categories to enter, Genesis provides the opportunity for unbiased feedback on writers’ work by published authors and experienced judges, and the chance for finalists to have their work read by Christian publishing hou...

Palm Bay, FL   US

Georgia Author of the Year Award

The Georgia Author of the Year Awards celebrates the best literature by Georgia writers. Georgia Writers Association assumed responsibility for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) shortly after its founding in 1994. The awards were first given in 1964 by the Dixie Council of Authors and J...

Kennesaw, GA   US

Heart Awards

The Heart Awards is a contest sponsored by the Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild and is open to all romantic works of fiction in digital form. Any author with a published novel or novella available in digital format that was published in the previous year is eligible to enter. Open to Authors Worldwide...

Oklahoma City, OK   US

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for excellence in book publishing is regarded as one of the highest national honors for small and independent publishers.

The awards are administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), with help from over 150 book publishing professionals includ...

Manhattan Beach, CA   US

Illumination Book Awards

With the motto, "Shining a Light on Exemplary Christian Books," the Illumination Book Awards are designed to honor the year’s best new titles written and published with a Christian worldview.

Authors, illustrators, publishers and self-publishers of Christian books written in English and int...

Traverse City, MI   US

Independent Publisher Book Awards

Conducted annually, the Independent Publisher Book Awards honor the year’s best independently published titles from around the world. The awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles published each year. <p&g...

Traverse City, MI   US

Marlowe and Christie Novel Prize

Submit the opening 3000 words of your novel. Conventionally published novelists are not eligible to enter. We are looking for the opening of your novel. Send us up to 3000 words. You need not have written more. Entries which are longer or not the opening of your novel will be disqualified. ​ ...

Cambridge, England   UK

Midwest Book Awards

Publishers based in the Midwest are invited to enter the annual Midwest Book Awards competition for excellence in books. The awards recognize creativity in content and execution, overall book quality, and the book’s unique contribution to its subject area. Titles accepted in Nonfiction, Fiction, P...

Minneapolis, MN   US

NAIWE 1st Annual Book Awards

Winning a respected book award helps an author reach new audiences and boost sales. It also delivers a satisfying cap for all the hard work that goes into publishing a manuscript. If you have written a book that was published in the last five years, you are eligible to enter it in the NAIWE 1st...

Montpelier, VA   US

National Indie Excellence Awards

The National Indie Excellence Awards is open to all English language books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. <p> The National Indie Excellence Awards exists to help establish independent publishing ...

Hermosa Beach, CA   US

Word Awards

The Word Awards was established to encourage the pursuit of excellence in the art, craft, practice and ministry of writing and help to raise the profile of Canadian writers who are Christian.The content of eligible entries must be consistent with a Christian worldview and the historic Christian trad...

Brantford, ON   CA