10th annual competition
Recognition for the books that stay with readers.
PenCraft celebrates exceptional fiction and nonfiction with the visibility, credibility, and community an author needs for the next chapter.
Now open: annual and seasonal awards for books published 2020–2026.
View judging criteriaWhy PenCraft
A good book deserves a bigger room.
More than a million books arrive every year. An award is a clear, third-party signal that helps a great one rise above the noise.
01
Judged for the whole work
Content, craft, originality, cover design, marketing effort, and audience appeal all matter.
02
Open by design
Indie, small press, e-book, self-published, and traditional authors are all welcome.
03
Proof you can use
Winners receive certificates, digital seals, and national press attention to carry forward.
04
A real author community
Join a growing circle of writers whose work has earned readers, reviews, and recognition.
Recognition that travels
Your next reader may meet you through your award.
The PenCraft seal is a small but powerful introduction: on a cover, a website, an author bio, or a press kit. It gives curious readers one more reason to stop and look closer.
Meet the people behind PenCraft →A few names from the shelf
Books with a point of view.
Best book · 2025
Glimmer of Hope
Heather G. Harris
Best fiction · 2025
Winter's End
Barbara Pronin
Best nonfiction · 2025
The Good Daughter
Katherine Fabrizio
The next story starts here
Put your work in the conversation.
Enter the annual competition and be considered automatically for the seasonal awards.
Enter the 2026 awards ↗