EQUITY IN LITERATURE
THROUGH FREE BOOK AWARD ENTRIES
Do you know an author whose work deserves award recognition but needs financial help with submission fees?
The Firebird Fund is committed to supporting writers by providing them with the necessary resources to participate in a quality book award program. To this end, we have earmarked a total of $2200 for 2024, to be distributed in installments of $550 per contest quarter. We will provide opportunities for ten talented writers per quarter who may need additional support to showcase their writing skills by paying their initial entry fee.
How it Works: Our traditional fees are $55 to enter the first category and $33 per additional category.
This initiative is a minimum two-category entry. The Fund pays $55 to cover the entry into the first category. Someone other than the author nominates the author and donates the usual fee of $33 to cover the second category. (To ensure quality entries and avoid misuse, we require a third party to nominate the author and donate $33. The donation is tax-deductible. Authors do not self-submit, but if you know someone who would like to back you and your work, this could be a great opportunity)
Additional friends of the author may purchase more category entries at our usual rate of $33 per category. This supports the author and increases their chance of placing, assuming their scores qualify.
Ten authors will be accepted each quarter. This page will give notice when the Firebird Fund has reached the limit and is closed for the quarter.
For more FAQs – please scroll down to the bottom of the page
NOMINATION & GENERAL DONATION FORM
use the same form for both
⇑⇑⇑⇑⇑
Be sure to hit the ‘SUBMIT’ button above
then PAY below
PAY HERE
Click the appropriate selection below. The minimum donation is one category, and the maximum is eight.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Firebird Fund come about?
Multi-Firebird Book Award recipient Nikki A. Lamers recently proposed an excellent idea. She suggested creating a way for the community to pool funds and help authors who may need financial assistance with the award entry fee. We loved this idea because it aligns perfectly with our mission to always be of service, and we decided to make it happen!
At the Firebird Book Awards, we’re committed to making a positive impact wherever and whenever we can. Our Pillowcase Project supports women and children experiencing homelessness, and our Furry Friend Project sends canned pet food to animal shelters. With this new initiative, we’re proud to set aside funds to help a limited number of authors with the initial entry fee.
We believe that every talented writer deserves a chance to showcase their work, and we’re thrilled to be able to support them in this way.
Can authors submit themselves?
No. Another person who is familiar with an author’s work can nominate and donate for the second category entry. Our team will then reach out to the author, seek their approval to enter the awards, and gather all the information required for the submission, including the manuscript, book cover art, category choices, and more.
Why does the nominating person have to pay for a category?
Assessing an author’s financial situation is none of our business. That’s why we work on the honor system. The person who nominates and pays for the second category already has a relationship with the author, has read their work, and genuinely believes their entry would be a quality addition to our platform. By making a small entry donation of $33, this neutral party shows us they value the author’s work and believe it’s worth our investment, too.
Would it be appropriate for the person nominating someone to inform them before nominating?
It’s a good idea to give the author a heads-up before we contact them with the good news.
Can the nominator donate and pay for more than one category?
Yes. See the donation rates above.
Can the author’s family, friends, or the community donate categories?
Yes. The author may share their entry opportunity to allow others to donate additional categories. We never share any entry name or information with anyone outside the Firebird Book Awards. The author may make it public. We will not. As with all our entries, confidentiality is the rule.
If I don’t know of an author who needs some assistance, can I still contribute to the Fund to help current authors?
Yes. Depending on the amount of the donation, we can divide the funds among the current or upcoming nominees or assign your donation to an author with fewer categories. Then, we will contact the author so they can select an additional category or categories.
Can an author be entered for more than one book per quarter
No. We want to help as many authors as possible. However, we run quarterly competitions, so returning authors are welcome to enter into future quarters.
Will the judges know if an entry comes through The Firebird Fund?
No. Our commitment to maintaining the highest fairness and integrity standards is unwavering. All book entries are thoroughly reviewed and assessed based on merit, regardless of whether they were submitted for free or paid entry.
If you have more thoughts or questions – email pr@speakuptalkradio.com
Welcome to the Firebird Family of Friends. Thank you for caring. We appreciate you.
As with all entries, the Firebird Book Awards reserves the right to disqualify any entry based on our sole discretion.