First Annual Science Fiction/Fantasy Competition from Writer's Digest

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY

Deadline: September 15, 2011

COMPETE and WIN with your best fiction!

Take your first step into a new frontier. Enter by September 15

Entry Fee: All entries are $20.00. You may pay with a check or money order, Visa, Mastercard or American Express when you enter online or via regular mail.

Prizes

First Prize: The First Place-Winner receives $1,000 cash, promotion in Writer's Digest, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Second Prize: The Second Place-Winner receives $500 cash, promotion in Writer's Digest, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Honorable Mention: Honorable Mentions will receive promotion in Writer's Digest and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Entry Deadline: September 15, 2011

Competition Rules

The Categories:

You may enter as many manuscripts as you like. All manuscripts must be 4,000 words or fewer.

Preparing Your Entry:

If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, the entry must be accompanied by an Official Entry Form or facsimile, and the required entry fee (credit card information, check or money order made payable to F+W Media, Inc.). If you are entering more than one manuscript, you may mail all entries in the same envelope and write one check for the total entry fee; however, each manuscript must have its category indicated in the upper left-hand corner.
Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission. Writer's Digest retains one-time publication rights to the First Prize, Second Prize and Honorable Mention winning entries in each category to be published in a Writer's Digest outlet.
If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, the entry must be typed on one side of 8-1/2 x 11 white paper (computer printout acceptable) or A4 paper. Manuscripts must be double-spaced. If you are entering via regular mail, your name, address, phone number and competition category must appear in the upper left-hand corner of the first page—otherwise your entry is disqualified. No refunds will be issued for disqualified entries. Online entries must be submitted in one of the following file types: doc, docx, rtf or pdf. We recommend that you avoid adding your own symbols/punctuation in file names of the documents you are uploading.
Be sure of your word count! Entries exceeding the word limit will be disqualified. Type the exact word count (counting every single word, except the title) at the top of the manuscript.
Mailed entries must be stapled.

Judging and Notification

Every entry will be read by the judges. Judges' decisions are final.
Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
Entries must be entered online or postmarked by 11:59 pm EST on September 15, 2011. We cannot return submitted manuscripts; however, to receive notification of the receipt of your manuscript, send a self-addressed stamped postcard along with your entry. Please note that it may take up to 30 days after the deadline for all entries and payment to be processed.
The following are not permitted to enter the contest: employees of F+W Media, Inc., and their immediate family members; Writer's Digest contributing editors and correspondents as listed on our masthead; Writer's Online Workshops instructors; and Grand Prize Winners from the previous three years in any Writer's Digest competitions.
Top Award Winners will be notified by mail by December 31, 2011. Winners will be listed in the May/June 2012 issue of Writer's Digest, and on www.writersdigest.com after the May/June 2012 issue is published.

Questions?
For questions, contact us at (715) 445-4612 ext. 13430 or email writing-competition@fwmedia.com

FAQ

Q: Is it okay to have illustration pictures on the cover?
A: Please send the text only

Q: If there is a word count, how many words per page am I allowed?
No preference

Q: How large of print is allowed?
No preference

Q: Are pen names allowed?
Pen names are fine. Write your pen name on all forms etc. so there is no mistakes on credits. Please be advised that we only need your real name if you are chosen as a winner (in order to issue prizes).

Q: What if I am not a U.S. resident?
WD writing competitions are open to non-U.S. residents as well. Please refer to the entry form and guidelines. All entry fees are due in U.S. Dollars.

Q: Is there an age limit for entrants?
No

Q: What if I wanted to submit only part of my novel into the competition (to stay with in the maximum number of words)?
If you submit a portion of a novel, please understand that it will be judged as a complete story, not part of another work, so it needs to be a complete story in and of itself.

Q: When will winners be notified?
Top Award Winners will be notified by December 31, 2011. Winners in each category will be listed in the May/June 2012 issue of Writer's Digest and on www.writersdigest.com after the May/June 2012 issue is published. Prizes/awards certificates will be mailed by April 30, 2012.

Q: What are the word count requirements?
The word count is 4,000 words maximum.

Q: How do I order books published by F+W Media?
www.fwbookstore.com/category/writers-digest

Q: How do I subscribe to Writer's Digest?
visit www.writersdigest.com and click on the link

Q: Are there other writing competitions?
Yes! Visit www.writersdigest.com/competitions for other competitions for writers

Privacy Promise
Occasionally we make portions of our customer list available to other companies so they may contact you about products and services that may be of interest to you. If you prefer we withhold your name, simply send a note with your name, address, and the competition name to: List Manager, F+W Media, Inc., 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

Entry Form

To submit your entry online, visit our secure online entry form.

To enter via regular mail, use the printable form, and send it with your manuscript(s) and entry fee to:

WD Science Fiction/Fantasy Competition
4700 East Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236

Click on the link above and go to the contest official site