Criteria for featured authors
Criteria for independently published authors

Criteria for featured authors

The Louisiana Book Festival (LBF) was established to promote reading by showcasing the publishing accomplishments of poets, writers and others involved in the creation and promotion of books and literacy. To this end, the 2011 festival presented more than 225 poets, writers and storytellers to a diverse audience of booklovers of all ages.

Participation in the Louisiana Book Festival is by invitation only. Although preference will be given to writers and poets who have published books, writers who have established credentials by satisfying any combination of the following criteria to total 12 points may be considered for participation in upcoming Louisiana Book Festivals, with preference given to writers and poets who have recently published books (within approximately eighteen months prior to the festival). Please bear in mind, meeting these criteria do not guarantee an invitation to participate in the festival as a featured author:

• 2 points for each poem published in a periodical, anthology or book.
• 3 points for each story or article published in a traditionally published periodical, anthology or book.
• 12 points for each book of poetry, including chapbooks of 24 pages or more.
• 12 points for each traditionally published collection of stories or book of fiction or nonfiction.
• 3 points for each 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in an established national or state arts council literary award or magazine contest open to all state or U.S. citizens.

To be considered for inclusion in the Louisiana Book Festival, please email your information to the Louisiana Book Festival Office at lbf@state.lib.la.us or send to:

Louisiana Book Festival Office
701 N. Fourth St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225.219.9503
225.219.9840 (fax)

A periodical is defined as a distributed magazine that regularly publishes poetry, fiction, articles, etc.

Criteria for independently published authors

In the spirit of inclusion and recognizing expanding routes to publication and in continued support of Louisiana writers, the Louisiana Book Festival will include a panel to showcase the work of select independently published writers of adult fiction and non-fiction. Louisiana authors who wish to submit their work for consideration by the Independently Published Authors Advisory Committee should submit a copy of the book to the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana, to be received no later than Friday, April 27, 2012. Submissions are limited to works of fiction or non-fiction intended for an adult audience* with preference given to writers who have recently published books (within approximately eighteen months prior to the festival).

*Independently published books falling into the following categories will not be considered by this committee: children's books, photo books, self-help books, inspirational books, cookbooks, poetry collections.

What is an independently published book?

For the purpose of this committee, independently published work includes those works published through a vanity or joint venture press, a subsidy publisher, a print-on-demand service or by the author of the book.

Submission guidelines

The advisory committee, composed of book editors, librarians, independently published authors and staff of the Louisiana Center for the Book will evaluate the submissions and determine those authors to be invited to the Louisiana Book Festival. The committee will not provide feedback nor critique of the submitted works.

Independently published books which have been reviewed in reputable magazines and newspapers will also qualify for consideration. It is the author's responsibility to make the committee aware of such reviews.

To be considered for inclusion in the Louisiana Book Festival, please email your information to the Louisiana Book Festival Office at lbf@state.lib.la.us or send to:

Louisiana Book Festival Office
701 N. Fourth St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225.219.9503
225.219.9840 (fax)

Submissions must be received no later than Friday, April 27, 2012. Submissions received after this date will not be considered. Books submitted for consideration will not be returned. Complete contact information should be included with the book submission. Cover letters will have no impact on the selection process and will not be shared with the committee; selections will be made by the committee on the merits of the book alone.

There is no fee for submission, and no fee will be paid for panel participation. Every attempt will be made to have the selected authors' books available for sale at the festival book tent, and a book signing will be scheduled after the panel.

Other independently published authors, including those whose books are not selected for the panel, may rent a booth or a table to display and sell their work at the festival.

Those selected will be notified in June and will be asked to provide materials for inclusion in the festival program and on the website.