2024 Foreword INDIES

Available Categories and Descriptions

Register Books

Adult Fiction

Fantasy
Books that are removed from reality and contain fantastic elements. Often based in nonexistent worlds or alternative versions of historical or modern places and also may include interaction between human and nonhuman characters such as elves, trolls, or aliens.
General
Books containing universal themes such as family discord or lost love.
Historical
Books that are set in the actual past. They may include real historical figures and events, but most characters and plot lines are fictional. Credible research and attention to detail are of top importance.
Humor
Books that present a multitude of topics in a comical or satirical manner. Such books may use wit to comment on society and other traditionally serious issues such as the economy, politics, and family life.
LGBTQ+
Books that deal with issues, topics, and themes related to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities.
Literary
Books that emphasize the quality of the prose. Focuses more on writing style, content, and character development than plot or narrative. What sets literary fiction apart: excellent writing, originality of thought, and style that raise it above the level of ordinary written works.
Multicultural
Books written by a member of or about a cultural minority group, giving insight into non-Western or nondominant cultural experiences and values.
Mystery
Books focused on solving an unexplained crime, especially a murder, theft, kidnapping. The protagonist often faces inexplicable threats and unknown forces and antagonists.
Religious
Books that are faith-based. In these works, ideas of God or religion play a significant role in plot, character development, and outcome.
Romance
Books that follow the development of a romantic relationship including any and all genders and relationships. Romance novels have elements of fantasy, love, naïveté, extravagance, adventure.
Science Fiction
Books that, although scientifically plausible, feature futuristic technology that does not currently exist. They often blend scientific and fictional elements. Science fiction novels depict distant worlds and futuristic technologies that propel readers away from the here and now and yet provoke contemplation of contemporary issues.
Short Stories
Short prose stories usually focusing on a single major event or change in the protagonist's life. They may include description, dialogue, and commentary, but narrative plot is the driving force and quality of prose is emphasized.
Thriller & Suspense
Suspense novels and thrillers are tense, exciting, often sensational works with ingenious plotting, swift action, and continuous suspense. Unlike mysteries, thrillers are dominated by action in which physical threat is a constant companion, and a hero (i.e., Jason Bourne) is pitted against a nefarious villain.
War & Military
A novel in which the primary action takes place in a field of armed combat, or in a domestic setting (or home front) where the characters are preoccupied with the preparations for, or recovery from, war.

Adult Nonfiction

Adventure, Sports & Recreation
Books that present stories of survival in both extreme situations and natural disasters or contain stories of athletes, teams and athletic events. They often contain a mix of action and reflection to help the reader feel the exhilaration of being a competitor while helping them better understand the person or people behind the a sports figure or event.
Art
Books that give examples of different art forms and information about the artists who made them. They may also discuss current or historic art movements or trends.
Autobiography & Memoir
A nonfiction account of a person's life written by that person.
Biography
A nonfiction account of a notable person's life written by someone else.
Body, Mind & Spirit
Books that encompass a holistic approach in viewing the universe, and includes any work that is describing or teaching the essential unity and interconnectedness of all things.
Business & Economics
Books that examine economic, financial, and management issues in a readable manner. They also may explore the lives of prominent businesspeople, tracing their journey to success in business.
Career
Books that give advice on how to find a job, advance one's career, or change job fields.
Cooking
Books that give examples and recipes for different dishes and cooking styles and techniques. They might also include discussion of the history and culture of food as well as profiles of notable people in the cooking industry.
Ecology & Environment
Books that comment on environmental themes, particularly as applied to the relationships between man, society, and the environment. Often, environmental literature is understood to promote care and concern for the environment and advocates a more thoughtful and ecologically sensitive relationship of man with nature.
Education
Books that seek to teach a certain skill or subject. They may also discuss teaching methods and current trends in education.
Essays
Short prose that makes a point, states an opinion, or describes an event. The prose quality is paramount. They may be presented individually or in a collection.
Family & Relationships
Books that present advice and anecdotes that focus on interpersonal relations, including marriage, parenting, and friendship. This genre also covers issues that one would confront as part of a relationship—aging, divorce, childbirth, and intimacy.
Grief/Grieving
Books that deal with loss and grief. They may focus on any aspect of the grieving process, from an author's personal experiences to broader self-help style books.
Health
Books that focus on current issues, findings, and trends in healthy living. They may focus on a particular problem or disease or discuss overall health.
History
Books that describe real events that took place in the past. They can focus on a number of events or one in particular, delving into a cause-and-effect relationships and examining the evolution of things, ideas, and people over time.
Hobbies & Home
Books that give examples and detailed instructions for how to complete craft and hobby projects or give ideas for designing indoor and outdoor living environment. They may also give instructions for completing home and garden projects.
Humor
Books that present a multitude of topics in a comical or satirical manner. Such books may use wit to comment on society and other traditionally serious issues such as the economy, politics, and family life.
LGBTQ+
Books that deal with issues, topics, and themes related to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities.
Multicultural
Nonfiction books covering the history, sociology, or other facts, about a cultural minority group, including any non-Western or nondominant cultures.
Nature
Books that examine not only nature and its inhabitants, but people's connection with nature. Authors present their personal responses to the outdoors, comment on environmental issues, and demonstrate how each person can enjoy and relate to nature.
Performing Arts & Music
Books that focus on performing artists and entertainers of the past and present as well as the history of creative movements and styles. This genre may include sheet music and songbooks as well as discussion of musical trends, movements, or people involved in the music industry. It may also include in-depth discussions of a particular musical piece or performance.
Photography
Books that give examples of and discuss current and historical methods, trends, and photographers. They may also give advice and instructions for the study and practice of photography.
Political and Social Sciences
Books that address the theory and practice of politics and the analysis of political systems and political behavior or focus on theories, issues, or current events relating to society. They may discuss a range of subjects, including anthropology, communication, criminology, government, linguistics, international relations, sociology, and law.
Popular Culture
Books that capture the zeitgeist of a particular time. They will likely reflect the interests/trends of the current day.
Reference
A collection of a category of information, usually of a specific type, compiled as an index in a book or series for easy reference. The writing style is typically informative and objective.
Regional
Books dealing with the culture, history, features, and/or people of a particular region.
Religion
Books that present mainstream and alternate religions and/or belief systems. These books may examine the background and development of a particular religious group or be spiritually inspirational.
Science & Technology
Comprises publications concerning original, empirical, and theoretical scientific work and the practical application thereof.
Self-Help
Books that describe how to improve one's life in some way, either by raising self-esteem, increasing health, or learning a new skill.
Travel
Books that give descriptions of a certain place as well as advice on planning a trip to that place, including hotels, restaurants, and sightseeing recommendations. They are usually written in an informative and objective style.
War & Military
Books that are primarily focused on war or military life.
Women's Studies
Books that deal with the experiences, issues, and advancement of women throughout history and today.

Children's

Juvenile Fiction
Ages 6–12 — Fictional books written for young readers, aged six to twelve. They may include pictures, but the plot and characters are mainly portrayed through words.
Juvenile Nonfiction
Ages 6–12 — Books intended to teach young readers about real things, places, or people. They are presented in such a way as to be easily understood by young readers aged six to twelve.
Picture Books
Ages 0–4 — Books in which illustrations play a primary role in conveying the story, although words may be present. For ages up to four.
Picture Books, Early Reader
Ages 5–8 — Books in which illustrations play a significant role in conveying the plot, characters, and ideas, and words are usually present. For ages five to eight.
Young Adult Fiction
Ages 13 and up — Fictional books designed to appeal to readers, aged thirteen and up, who have outgrown elementary or middle-school age materials but may not be ready for the language or themes in adult books. This genre includes any type of novel with a protagonist in the twelve-to-sixteen age range that speaks to the concerns of teenagers.

General

Anthologies
A collection of literary works chosen by a compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or essays.
Coffee Table Books
Often oversized and hardcover, coffee table books are intended to be displayed in public and shared spaces to arouse curiosity and inspire conversation. As these books could be picked up by anyone and opened to any page, they typically contain large photos or illustrations with short runs of text. Coffee table books make great gifts and may be found in a waiting room or your friend's living room.
Graphic Novels & Comics
Narrative works in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format.
Poetry
Books that present work that uses language for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or instead of, its apparent communication value.