Firecracker Awards

Firecracker Awards

Overview: The CLMP Firecracker Awards for Independently Published Literature are given annually to celebrate books and magazines that make significant contributions to literary culture and the publishers that introduce important voices to readers.

Award Categories:

Fiction

Creative Nonfiction

Poetry

Magazines/General Excellence

Magazines/Best Debut

Award Amounts:

Book categories: $2,000 per winner ($1,000 for the press and $1,000 for the author or translator)

Magazine categories: $1,000 per winner

Geographic Scope: International publishers eligible; English-language books from international publishers welcome

Additional Benefits:

National publicity campaign spotlighting winning titles

Promotional materials distributed to over 500 independent booksellers

Promotion in CLMP newsletters, website, and social media

Free one-year CLMP membership for winning publishers

Free one-year Submittable subscription for magazine winners

Book Category Eligibility

• Must be published by independent publisher during 2025 calendar year
• Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for adults eligible
• English-language books from international publishers eligible
• Books in translation eligible
• Graphic novels eligible
• Self-published and hybrid-published books NOT eligible
• Children's and young adult books NOT eligible
• Anthologies NOT eligible
• Posthumous submissions NOT eligible
• Author or translator must be living at time of submission
• Entries submitted by publisher; authors may submit with publisher consent

Magazine Category Eligibility

• Must be independent and literary in nature
• General Excellence category: must have published regularly for at least past two years
• Best Debut category: must have launched in 2024 or 2025 calendar years
• Both print and digital magazines eligible
• May be based anywhere in the world
• At least 50% of content must be in English
• May be submitted in only one category

2026 Judges

Fiction: Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, Mubanga Kalimamukwento, Mikey LaFave

Creative Nonfiction: Neema Avashia, Neesha Powell-Ingabire, Riley Rennhack

Poetry: José Angel Araguz, Danny Caine, Esther Lin

Magazines: Emily Nemens, Joyce Chen, Mandana Chaffa