I’ve been asked again to judge a category in the Independent Book Publishers Association‘s Ben Franklin Awards. If you’re not familiar with the IBPA, it’s an organization of smaller publishers… not necessarily self-publishers, though some members are self-publishers, but also of independent publishers with dozens of titles that aren’t part of multinational conglomerates.
Judging the Franklins is always an amazing experience. Each of the 50-plus categories has three judges. None of us knows who the other is. We’re asked to rate the books on a variety of criteria, then provide overall comments to assist the publisher with future books. The main compensation is that if you judge, you end up with fifty or more in the main marvelous books to keep for yourself or share with your local friends of the library fundraiser (no reselling allowed).
The great thing about the Franklins is that the best book generally wins, at least in the categories I judge. A few years back, there was a book by a Friend of a Big Hollywood Star in the category I was assigned. It was a wonderful book… excellent story, beautiful cover. And yet… as I ranked my category winners, a smaller story with a so-so cover kept nudging me. The story was even more moving and compelling than Friend of a Big Hollywood Star’s book. At the last minute before I returned my judging forms, I switched the order and gave the smaller story first place, figuring there’d be no way the other two judges, whoever they were, would agree, but at least my No. 1 would get a runner-up spot.
But it didn’t.
The other judges had felt the same way. The book won!
If you’re an independent publisher, I hope you’ll consider joining IBPA and entering the Franklins. The deadline is December 31. If you’re a reader, I hope you’ll look at the list of past winners, and consider giving some of them a try. Remember, small is beautiful!
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Hi Melanie–thanks for the kind words about the Benjamin Franklin Awards and a special thanks to you and all the other hard-working and dedicated industry professionals who so generously give their time to judge the entries. The Benjamin Franklin Awards (TM), sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and now in its third decade of celebrating excellence in independent publishing, is one of the few book awards programs that offers individual feedback to entrants as to how their title might be improved as well as how it excels.
The Benjamin Franklin Awards (TM) wouldn’t exist without you and all of the other judges and we at IBPA as well as the publishers who have benefited from your advice through the years appreciate YOU!
Florrie Binford Kichler, President, IBPA