The Chrysalis BREW Project

Books, Reviews, and Everything Written (BREW) for you

The BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award

The BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award recognises outstanding works of fiction that invite readers into worlds that feel both familiar and magical, and celebrates books that seamlessly blend the everyday with the extraordinary. From suspenseful thrillers to emotionally rich narratives, the award highlights stories that fascinate through strong character development, emotional depth, and immersive storytelling. Each entry is carefully reviewed by judges who are members of the BREW Laureate Council, with close attention given to how powerfully the book engages the reader and brings its world to life. Ultimately, this award honours fiction that lingers long after the final page, offering vivid, memorable reading experiences that resonate with readers.

Click here to nominate your book

Important Dates

31 October – Nominations cut-off date

1 to 31 December – The list of Winners is completed and announced

12 months after nomination date – expected publication date of reviews or availability of judging feedback, only if guaranteed by your specific order at the time of the nomination’s lodgment.

The prizes

Additional prizes may be given to winning entries as time goes by. For now, the following are the minimum guaranteed prizes for the winners.

Shortlists, Finalists, and Runner-ups

Shortlisted entries, finalists, and runner-ups will receive the following entitlements:

  • 📜 Copyright to use the specific award title for the year in your book’s promotional materials
  • 🎖️ A digital award logo file to feature on your book cover and marketing assets
  • 🌐 A consolidated public announcement on the BREW website and across our social media channels
  • 📰 Inclusion in a consolidated press release and media coverage distributed to hundreds of global news and media sites
  • 🎤 A free interview via The World’s Best Magazine or another partner platform
  • 👑 Automatic membership in the BREW Laureate Council
  • 🔑 Access to exclusive BREW winners’ resources, benefits, and growth opportunities

Category Winners

The winner for each book award category will receive the following entitlements:

  • 📜 Copyright to use the specific award title for the year in your book’s promotional materials
  • 🎖️ A digital award logo file to feature on your book cover and marketing assets
  • 🌐 A consolidated public announcement on the BREW website and across our social media channels
  • 📰 Inclusion in a consolidated press release and media coverage distributed to hundreds of global news and media sites
  • 🎤 A free interview via The World’s Best Magazine or another partner platform
  • 👑 Automatic membership in the BREW Laureate Council
  • 🔑 Access to exclusive BREW winners’ resources, benefits, and growth opportunities

BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award Publisher of the Year

This is the award given to the publisher of the BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award Book of the Year winner, if applicable. The winner will be selected by the award judges based on their chosen parameters. However, this title may not be awarded every year.

The winner, if any, will receive the following entitlements:

  • 📜 Copyright to use the specific award title for the year in your promotional materials
  • 🎖️ A digital award logo file to feature on your book cover and marketing assets
  • 🌐 A consolidated public announcement on the BREW website and across our social media channels
  • 📰 Inclusion in a consolidated press release and media coverage distributed to hundreds of global news and media sites
  • 🎤 A free interview via The World’s Best Magazine or another partner platform
  • 🔑 Access to exclusive BREW winners’ resources, benefits, and growth opportunities

BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award Book of the Year

This is the award given to the best book, chosen from among the winners of the different award categories. However, this title may not be awarded every year.

The winner will receive the following entitlements:

  • 📜 Copyright to use the specific award title for the year in your book’s promotional materials
  • 🎖️ A digital award logo file to feature on your book cover and marketing assets
  • 📄 A digital certificate celebrating your achievement
  • 🌐 A public announcement on the BREW website and across our social media channels
  • 📰 Inclusion in a press release and media coverage distributed to hundreds of global news and media sites
  • 🎤 A free interview and front cover magazine feature via The World’s Best Magazine or another partner platform
  • 👑 Automatic membership in the BREW Laureate Council
  • 🔑 Access to exclusive BREW winners’ resources, benefits, and growth opportunities

More details will be provided to the winners via email.

Note: Prizes for all BREW awards are not convertible to cash. Digital logos provided to the winners can be used on the winning book’s cover and other promotional materials, provided that all internet or web posts will contain a link redirecting to the specific BREW page for the award received.

BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award Categories

Your book will be reviewed and evaluated for all applicable categories at no additional cost; however, the final award title(s) conferred, if any, will be at the discretion of the judging panel. The categories listed below represent those currently accepted, though other suitable categories may also be considered.

Fiction

  1. Literary Fiction
  2. Historical Fiction
  3. Mystery/Crime/Thriller
  4. Science Fiction
  5. Fantasy
  6. Romance
  7. Contemporary Fiction
  8. Adventure Fiction
  9. Horror (excluding extreme or gratuitous gore)
  10. Young Adult (YA) Fiction
  11. Middle Grade Fiction
  12. Children’s Fiction (including picture books and early readers)
  13. Graphic Novels and Comics
  14. Short Story Collections
  15. Humor and Satire

Children and Young Adult (YA)

  1. Picture Books
  2. Chapter Books
  3. Middle Grade Fiction
  4. Young Adult Fiction

Diverse and Emerging Voices

  1. LGBTQ+ Literature
  2. Diverse Cultures and Perspectives
  3. Indigenous Literature
  4. Debut Authors

Genre-Bending and Niche Categories

  1. Speculative Fiction (blending science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia)
  2. Inspirational Fiction
  3. Regional and Local Stories

Other categories

Subject to our approval,you may nominate your book for a category not listed in our guidelines. Please note that we reserve the right to reassign your book to a different category if deemed more appropriate. We may or may not confer award titles in a given year.

Award Parameters

  • We welcome submissions of self-published, independently-published, or traditionally-published books.
  • All published books on or before the award year are eligible for nomination.
  • Additionally, unpublished manuscripts are accepted provided that an anticipated publication date is specified and the book’s details are accessible on Goodreads or a prominent retailer website. Books published after the nomination cut-off date may be considered if the manuscripts had been completed before the nomination date AND the books’ corresponding nominations had been lodged and confirmed on or before the award year’s cut-off date.
  • A book’s entry will only progress to the next stage if the nominated book’s copyright owner or duly-authorized representative completes the formal nomination process on or before the set deadline.
  • A book can be nominated for multiple categories provided that the corresponding entry fee is paid for every category nomination per book.
  • An author can have multiple book nominations provided that the corresponding entry fee is paid for every category nomination per book.
  • The entry fee per category for each book and other applicable fees for post-judging feedback, if requested, must be paid before a nomination can progress to the next stage.
  • Judges’ decisions are final. No feedback will be provided for entries. If you need feedback for your entry, you need to pay an extra fee per category for each book.
  • All fees paid are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
  • We reserve the right not to confer an award for categories with insufficient entries or if there are no entries that meet the minimum requirements to receive an award.
  • Nominated books must still be available via the sales channel or book site indicated on the nomination form at least 2 years after the nomination date. We reserve the right to retract an award if we find sufficient reasons to do so – e.g. if the book should have not received the award or if the book no longer appears on any reputable book site other than BREW.
  • All entries must be completed by the book’s copyright owner or duly-authorized representative using the required form. If you are the copyright owner and experiencing internet problems or technical issues at your location, you can authorize a person you trust to complete the required form, provided that such is being done for and on your behalf including but not limited to your understanding of and agreement to abide with the terms and conditions of the awards, BREW Privacy Policy, general BREW website and service terms of use, and all other relevant BREW policies and procedures.
  • Completed nominations must be received on or before the 31st of October to qualify for the year’s award.
  • These terms and conditions may be updated without prior notice.

The Judging Process

Judging will be based on predetermined benchmarks, best practices, and standards. Obvious or potential conflicts of interest will be avoided in selecting judges and during the entire pre- to post-judging stages, as far as possible.

General criteria

For 2023 and until further notice, the following are the general core judging criteria:

For all nominated books:

  • Content
  • Writing Style
  • Appeal to Target Audience
  • Uniqueness
  • Editing
  • Other factors (including marketability)

For children’s books, in addition to the above criteria, the following may also be considered for extra points if and as applicable:

  • Good role models for younger ones
  • Moral values
  • Good social manners
  • Age-appropriate language and topics
  • Age-appropriate illustrations
  • Gained the approval of a licensed educator or professional in a relevant field
  • Based on scientifically-proven data or similar information
  • Produced through industry-standard research processes
  • Other relevant information – e.g. the author’s profession, exposures, or expertise relevant to the field or theme

Additional source of points

We reserve the right to determine additional sources of points in case of a tie or determining the final list of the winners.

The panel

The judging panel shall be composed of readers, writers, or professionals from a relevant field.

Judges’ identities are not disclosed to preserve the impartiality and fairness of the awards.

Nominees or their authorized representatives are discouraged from contacting BREW reviewers, staff, or anyone else that could influence the award results at any point in time. Questions or clarifications must be coursed through only the BREW Contact Form or via email (info@thechrysalisbrewproject.com).

The judges’ decisions are final.

Post-judging feedback

Generally, except for the free review(s) for certain paid nominations, no judges’ feedback report will be provided to entries. If you need post-judging feedback for your entry, you need to pay an extra fee per book per category nomination at the time of nomination form lodgement. Late requests for post-judging feedback will not be entertained.

Other matters

We reserve the right not to confer an award for a category where there are no entries that meet the minimum requirements to receive an award.

Additional Terms and Conditions

The above terms and conditions are generally applicable. For other relevant information, resources, terms, and conditions, visit the following links:

Nominate a book

If you are ready for your next big opportunity, then nominate your book today.

Step 1 (required): Place your order.

Click here to lodge your book’s nomination.

Step 2 (optional): Get more exposure.

Complete the following form at your convenience for additional exposure: Author’s Profile + Interview + Book Post.

Step 3: Wait for our announcement.

Winners will receive an email from us. Subscribe to our newsletter so you’d be our VIP – the first to know what’s new.

We also recommend that you search and follow The Chrysalis BREW Project on social media.

The Winners

To know the winners of the BREW Fiction Book Excellence Award, click here.

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