Bookshop.org, the online bookstore on a mission to support independent bookshops, is today launching the annual Indie Champions Awards, recognising the individuals and organisations that have supported independent bookshops the most using Bookshop.org in 2022.
Launching just after Bookshop.org’s second anniversary, with nearly £2.5 million generated for independent bookshops since inception, the awards aim to shine a light on authors, publishers, podcasts, festivals and more that have taken concrete steps to support independent bookshops through Bookshop.org, as well as using the platform in new, creative ways.
Spanning ten categories in total, the shortlists for the Author, Publisher and Organisation categories are announced today. Winners across all categories, including the data-driven Indie Champion Title of the Year and Indie Champion List of the Year (the title and list that generated the most money for indies in 2022 respectively), will be unveiled virtually on Wednesday 25 January 2023.
AUTHORS
Including Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s, and Lifestyle and Culture, this category recognises authors who have done the most to support indies through Bookshop.org this year, combining efforts made by the authors themselves and concrete funds generated for the indies as a result.
Notable author efforts include linking to Bookshop.org, promoting the platform’s mission, providing additional or exclusive content in the form of a list, author letter or video, or being available for Bookshop.org’s popular book-as-ticket events or Bookshop.org’s Town Halls for booksellers that use the platform.
- Fiction
- Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground
- Alice Oseman, creator of the Heartstopper series
- Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo
- Gabrielle Zevin, author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
- Non-fiction
- Jeffery Boakye, author of I Heard What You Said
- Cal Flynn, author of Islands of Abandonment
- Katy Hessel, author of The Story of Art Without Men
- Michelle Zauner, author of Crying in H Mart
- Children’s
- Roma Agarwal, author of How Was That Built?
- Dara McAnulty, author of Diary of A Young Naturalist
- Jason Reynolds, author of When I Was the Greatest
- Chris Haughton, author of A Bit Lost and Shh! We Have a Plan
- Lifestyle and Culture
- Leif Bersweden, author of Where the Wildflowers Grow
- Brian Bilston, author of Days Like These
- Leena Norms, author of Bargain Bin Rom-Com
- River Cottage, home of cookery courses, events and books
PUBLISHERS
This category honours publishers and publishing divisions who have done the most to support independent bookshops through Bookshop.org. Both categories of Overall Publisher and Publisher Professional of the Year look to recognise a combination of efforts made and the resulting funds generated for the indies.
Publishers have been shortlisted for their efforts to include consistent online linking to indies, tagging or linking Bookshop.org in their digital marketing activities, and regular collaboration to develop creative campaigns, including access to authors, exclusive content and competitions.
Notable efforts of publisher professionals include bringing a distinct offer to Bookshop.org within wider marketing activities, first-class support covering sales, marketing and publicity, developing new ideas on how to make the most of Bookshop.org, championing the platform within the publishing house and helping Bookshop.org reach new audiences.
· Overall Publisher
- Publisher Professional of the Year
- Vicky Boff, Marketing Director at Hodder & Stoughton
- Richard Green, Independent Bookshop and Wholesaler Manager at Pan Macmillan
- Glenn Holmes, Sales and Marketing Manager at Bloomsbury
- Katrina Northern, Marketing Manager at Vintage
PODCAST
Honouring the podcasts that have the most to support independent bookshops through Bookshop.org, the podcasts shortlisted have demonstrated consistency in creating Bookshop.org lists featuring the books mentioned in each of their episodes, using Bookshop.org links on their website and social media, and mentioning Bookshop.org on-air.
INNOVATIVE USE OF BOOKSHOP.ORG
This category awards the organisations or individuals who have used Bookshop.org in the most innovative way this year, with their efforts contributing to Bookshop.org’s mission to support independent bookshops. Notable efforts include imaginative content creation with author lists, media partnerships including TikTok, consistent use of Bookshop.org’s links, speaking at Bookshop.org’s Town Halls and more.
OTHER CATEGORIES
In addition to authors, publishers, publishing professionals, podcasts and organisations, the Indie Champions Awards will also recognise the single title that generated the most money for independent bookshops in 2022 – the Indie Champion Title of the Year – as well as the list that has cumulatively generated the most money – the Indie Champion List of the Year. For these two categories, the winners will be chosen purely based on sales figures, with data collected until 31st December 2022.