Otherwise Award

The Otherwise Award, originally known as the James Tiptree Jr. Award, is an American annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon, a feminist SF conference. In addition to the award itself, the judges publish an Honor List, which they describe as "a strong part of the award's identity", "used by many readers as a recommended reading list". In 2024, the award administrators announced that they would be switching from a single winner each year to a shortlist of three to six winners. The award was originally named for Alice B. Sheldon, who wrote under the pseudonym James Tiptree Jr.

From the Wikipedia article “Otherwise Award”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Check the official rules of the Otherwise Award for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.