The Christian Authors Network is launching its first annual CAN CROWN AWARDS this year in partnership with the International Christian Visual Media Conference Crown Awards event. We took the opportunity to ask CAN’s Contest Director Linda Kozar to fill us in on this innovative new opportunity for authors.
How did the CAN Crown Awards come about?
“At an online Christian Authors Network board meeting a year ago, our CAN president Angela Breidenbach let us know about a unique opportunity for CAN, to possibly partner with the International Christian Visual Media Conference in 2019. I was tempted to pinch my arm. Did I hear that right? Authors getting the opportunity to meet and greet screenwriters, producers, and directors of all our favorite Christian films? All I could say was, Yes please!
Our initial board meeting was long, and I do mean long, as were subsequent meetings to discuss every aspect of these awards. We invited CAN member Edie Melson to join our exploratory discussions to share her thoughts, opinions, and experiences as codirector of the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. The meetings were lively and productive and we soon had the award foundation and framework put together.”
What are the contest particulars?
“Now CAN is on the verge of our very first conference collaboration with ICVM and we couldn’t be more delighted and excited about the upcoming conference and Crown Awards. Though we had a short window of time to plan and lay a foundation for this important upcoming event, CAN is participating in ICVM’s Crown Awards this year and adding our own categories: Outstanding Visual Media, Outstanding Broadcasting, and Outstanding Web Presence. We decided that our awards should be geared toward the marketing, not writing-related end of things. After all, CAN is all about marketing our books. Angela said it best during our first meeting, ‘We want to raise the level of Christian authors and their abilities to market Christian books and brands to get those products into the hands of readers, retailers, and librarians’.”
Contest criteria?
“The entrants may upload jpegs, png’s, or pdf’s to show the scope and/or provide links to view the scope of the entry. Criteria will include: Innovation, engagement, investment (both time and money), and ROI (sales and/or meeting specific engagement goals). Any campaign, broadcast, or web presence entered must focus on a book, or book series, or brand. The marketing campaign (visual, broadcasting, web presence) must start between February 1, 2018 and August 27, 2019. The campaign need not encompass the entire 18-month span, only begin within those dates in order to be eligible.”
What is the entry fee?
“The CAN Crown Award criteria and entry pages are on the CAN website. Entry fee is $80 for non-members and $65 for CAN members. “
How will the contest be judged?
“Judging components include a description and overview of the campaign or web presence that states the goal, results, and activities. Judging is by independent individuals with knowledge in the realm of marketing and media. CAN board members, contest committee members and the current contest director are not eligible to enter.
Finalists will be announced and will receive finalist logos/badges for their websites and print materials. Gold, silver, and bronze winners in each of our three categories will be announced at the ICVM/CAN Conference Banquet on Saturday, November 16thduring the conference in Nashville from November 13-16, 2019.”
When can authors enter the Crown Award contest?
“The CAN Crown Awards went live August 28-September 28, 2019.”
Author of traditional and indie-published fiction and nonfiction books, novellas and short stories, Linda Kozar is also a speaker, and podcaster (Along Came A Writer, Chat Noir Mystery and Suspense). The recipient of the American Christian Fiction Writer’s 2007 Mentor of the Year, she also founded The ACFW Woodlands, Texas Chapter of the organization and currently serves as Vice President on the chapter board.She also serves on the Christian Authors Network (CAN) board as PR Director and CAN Crown Award contest coordinator . Linda and her husband of 30 years, Michael, live in The Woodlands, Texas and enjoy spending time with their two grown daughters, their wonderful son-in-law, a sweet grand baby on the way, and Gypsy, their rascally Jack Russell Terrier.
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