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My Book Awards:

Fun to Run or a Total and Utter Nightmare

Five years ago, I set up the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Why? Well, I was upset with book awards open to self-published and independently published authors. I felt they were a total rip-off. I remember, I was a finalist in one America-based award - I was so excited – and they didn’t even bother to tell me. Then, in another award, also America-based, I did very, VERY well but all they were interested in was selling me dodgy winner stickers at a crazy, inflated price. Then there was the feedback I got from the Writer’s Digest Award. It was a joke! It was 19 (yes, 19!) words long and congratulated me on writing a wonderful adult book set in war-time France. IT WAS A CHILDREN’S BOOK SET IN A MAGIC BOOKSHOP!     

So I went for a walk…

I went for a walk and decided in amongst the tall chestnut trees to set up my own book award. And that, my fellow authors, is what I did.

But it had to be different. Much, much different to what was on offer at present. So I thought to myself, what do I want from a book award? Well, I want the organisers to see me, actually see me – and my book. I don’t just want to be a ‘$’ sign or a ‘£’ sign to them. Also, I want to get ‘value for money’ so, even if I don’t win, I want to get feedback from the judging. And, finally, I don’t want to pay lots of money to enter.

So, from this, I set up The Wishing Shelf Book Awards (www.thewsa.co.uk).

Over the last seven years, it has grown. Wow! How it’s grown. In the first year we had 42 authors and publishers enter. This year it will be closer to 300! Now we have a very interactive Facebook page where the authors and publishers can discuss the award and how best to run it. Now we provide the authors who enter a catchy quote to help them to market their books. Now we post reviews – based on the feedback – on Amazon and Goodreads. Now we actively support Blind Children UK, helping them to produce books for children with sight problems. Now we have over twenty schools and two adult reading groups (1 in London, 1 in Stockholm, a total of 62 adult readers) helping us to judge the books. Now we send authors who enter feedback of between 400 – 1,500 words based on the readers’ comments. They look at the cover, the content, the editing and the style. We even provide the authors with statistics e.g. How many of the readers would read another book by this author. How many of the readers felt the cover was strong etc, etc. And the prize list for the finalists and winners is pretty impressive too.

So now, my tiny award is a bit of a monster and is taking more and more of my time. Is it fun? Yes, most of the time it is. And that’s important as the Award is not run for profit and every penny of the entry fee is spent on running the award and helping to support Blind Children UK. In fact, most of the time it is very rewarding and our reputation on and off the web is ‘glowing’. Don’t get me wrong. We do mess up. Two years ago, for example, it took too long to get all the feedback to the authors. So, this year, I’m employing help. The Wishing Shelf Awards actually has a member of staff! An ex-primary school head teacher who will help me to correlate all the feedbacks. It’s all very exciting.

But do you know what the best bit is? The very, VERY best bit. Twice now, one of the US-based awards I hate has attempted to buy my small awards. And I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed telling them to go to…well, you know where. Now THAT was fun!

Edward Trayer, under the pen name Billy Bob Buttons, is the author of thirteen children’s books including the UK People’s Book Prize Winner, I Think I Murdered Miss. He is also the organizer of The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

The finalists of the 2017 Wishing Shelf Book Awards are now on the website. Check them out: https://www.thewsa.co.uk/finalists2017/

This month, I thought I would tell you all about the animated film I'm producing for my book, The Boy Who Piddled in His Grandad's Slippers. Not because I want you to watch it (it will not be on Amazon for another few weeks) but because I thought it might be interesting to authors looking for additional income streams.

Firstly, the book. Well, it's a picture book approx. eight hundred words long that I self published a year or so a go. It's pretty popular, particulary amongst children aged 4 - 7. Also, it's very visual. Visiting schools, a lot of children would ask me if there was a film of this particular book and, to be honest, I got sick of saying no.

So, the first thing I did was try to find a company who could make the film. I wanted it to be very funny with a cool narrator, good music and, of course, excellent graphics. I started off by contacting UK-based firms. Well, for a fifteen minute short film, they were quoting anywhere between £20,000 and £50,000! Well, after a stiff drink, I did what I did when I recently went looking for an illustrator for my latest picture book, The Hungry Grasshopper. I went to a website called Fiverr. On here you will find lots of very talented people who can do pretty much anything at a much lower cost.

I spent approx. two days going though all the animators' work until I finally picked a comany based in Pakistan. The illustration style reminded me a little of South Park. I didn't want Disney so this was perfect. I contacted the company, sent them the script and they came back with a quote of $1,500! Yes, it's not a typo. And, even better, I don't have to pay a dollar until the film is completed and I am totally happy with it.

So, I thought, why not? I can't go wrong!

So far, everything has progressed swimmingly. Every week or so, the company sends me 2 - 3 mins of film which I watch; I then send them feedback and they alter the film to what I want. They re-send it to me, and so on and so... They also sent me seven or so narrators' work to pick from. I did not like the first six but the seventh was marvellous. Later today, the company will be sending me the complete film fully lip synced. Then they will be sorting out the music and the credits at the beginning and end of the film.

But I know what you are asking: what should I do with it when it's finished? That's where Amazon Video Direct fits in. If you didn't know, you can also publish a film with Amazon which works very much like Kindle Select and Createspace. Once my film is listed there, I will get a royalty for every rental and for every purchase of the film. Also, customers on Prime can watch as part of the monthly subscription and I will get a royalty for every minute watched.

As many of you might know, I visit a lot of schools as a children's author. Every year, I meet with approx. 100,000 children. Now, when I visit a school, as well as promoting my books, I will also promote the film. A child can then ask mum or dad if they can watch it on Amazon. If they say yes (if they are on Prime, why not), I increase my income.

So there you have it! Will it be successful? To be honest, I don't know. It helps that the film is based on a picture book and is not too long. This keeps the production costs down. Also, it helps a lot that I meet with so many of my readers and I can directly say to them, 'If you don't wish to read book, check out the short film on Amazon.' But will it make a profit? We will see. I will let you know in a future newsletter.

I hope that was interesting for you all.

Edward