The Whistler Independent Book Awards
Canadian Authors has partnered with the Whistler Writing Society and Vivalogue Publishing to administer the Whistler Independent Book Awards (WIBAs), open to independently published authors across Canada and sponsored by The Writers Union of Canada.
Submissions for the 2025 Whistler Independent Book Awards are accepted from March 1 to April 30, 2025.
Eligibility
- Authors must be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
- The author must have paid all costs associated with the production of the book
- All entries must be available for purchase in physical form (ebook-only publications not eligible)
- The book must be copyrighted within the last six years and the author must retain all rights
Entry Fee
- $100 plus GST per fiction and non-fiction entry (Paypal or cheque made payable to Vivalogue Publishing)
- The fee is refundable only in the case of the entry being ruled ineligible
Books Submitted
- Hard copies of books entered to the competition must be mailed to:
PO BOX 16067, 617 Belmont Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z8, Canada - Copies submitted cannot be returned to the author
- Hard copies of the books entered are donated to Frontier College, a Canadian national literacy organization, at the conclusion of the competition
Evaluations
- Written evaluations are prepared as part of the submission process for the Whistler Independent Book Awards, and are included the submission fee.
- The opinions and recommendations contained in the evaluations are the professional opinions of the judges and are deemed to have been solicited by the author.
- All content in this evaluation is confidential and will not be disclosed by the WIBA administrators to any third party without the prior permission of the submitting author.
- The author has the right to use any or all of the evaluation for personal or promotional purposes.
FAQs
What qualifies as non-fiction?
The Non-Fiction category is intended to recognize literary treatment of factual material. Creative non-fiction that uses imagined dialogue or description to enhance a true story is eligible. Manuals and catalogues intended to provide factual information only are not eligible as the judges would have no basis to assess the literary merit of the submission. If you require further clarification, contact us.
Is my book eligible if I received grant funding?
Yes, as long as your grant was not specifically intended to cover the costs of publication. If you received grant funding after your book was published, or if your grant was awarded for research purposes, your book is eligible. If you received grant funding in order to pay for printing or other publication costs, your book is not eligible as you did not assume the financial risk normally associated with independent publishing.
What about hybrid publishing?
In general, these book ARE eligible, but the Awards Committee will make a determination on a case-by-case basis.
How are entries evaluated by the Selection Committee?
The Selection Committee assesses each book based on its design and production values, and on the quality of the writing, based on the substantial opening and closing sections of each book. All shortlisted books are read in full.