The 2026 Hummingbird Publishing Book Awards is now open to submissions with the grand finale set for August 2026.

For the very first time, Hummingbird will play host to this unique book awards competition, and the best part, anyone can enter, no matter where you are in the world. To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Age 18 and over.
  • No copyright.
  • All works must be original and of your own.
  • Books must be 50 pages and above to qualify.
  • Manuscripts are required to be sent in PDF or WORD DOC format only.
  • Cover designs must be original and not under copyright.
  • You can be either indie author or under another publisher however you will need to seek permission from your publisher to enter in case it breaches your current contract.
  • You can only submit one book so choose wisely.
  • You can enter from anywhere in the world.

So, now that the boring bit is out of the way, what exactly are we looking for? We are looking for original content that will make our judges go wow. The deadline for submissions will be March 15th 2026, after such date, no further submissions will be accepted.

There are no specific categories for this awards program, however prizes are based on reviews and votes and have been designed to give everyone a chance.

The prizes for each category are as follows and each category has a first, second and third place.

AWARD PRIZES

  • 1st Prize – £500 cash – 12 months FREE Marketing – Marketing Kit – Certificate
  • 2nd Prize – £250 cash – 6 months FREE Marketing – Marketing kit – Certificate
  • 3rd Prize – £150 cash – 3 months FREE Marketing – Marketing kit – Certificate

The awards tier process is as follows:

  • Initial submission – December 8th 2025 – March 15th 2026
  • Voting Begins – June 1st
  • Quarter finals – May 15th 2026
  • Semi finals – July 15th 2026
  • Finals – August 30th 2026

After submissions close, the awards goes into a voting stage via the website and across social media after manuscripts have been reviewed for eligibility. Full details on how to vote will be released a week prior to submissions closing. Please note that the voting stage is from readers and authors cannot vote for themselves. Any author found to be in breach of this will be disqualified rom the awards.

FAQS

  • Why do I need to send the manuscript? In the fairness of the awards program, our team will check to ensure your manuscript is not AI generated, and adheres to the basic rules of manuscripts such as illegal content.
  • Is my manuscript safe? Yes. After review we remove your manuscript for security.
  • Why do you need my book cover? So that we can promote your entry during our marketing and voting process.
  • Can I list more than one book? No, in the fairness of the awards program, we limit one book per author to keep things fair.
  • How is the cash prize paid out? This is paid out using your preferred method. Such as PayPal or bank transfer.
  • Are my entry details safe? Yes. We use a secure system that does not share with any third parties.

Submissions are open now so please fill out the form below to enter. Entry is FREE to all authors of all genres.