L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future® Contest

http://www.writersofthefuture.com

An international search for new and amateur writers of new short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights.

Deadline is December 31, March 31, June 30 & September 30.

Contest Rules:

1. No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author. All types of science fiction, fantasy and horror with fantastic elements are welcome; every entry is judged on its own merits only.

2. All entries must be original works in English. Plagiarism, which includes poetry, song lyrics, characters or another person's world will result in disqualification. Submitted works may not have been previously published in professional media.

3. Eligible entries must be works of prose, either short stories or novelettes under 17,000 words in length. We regret we cannot consider poetry or works intended for children. Excessive violence or sex will result in disqualification.

4. The Contest is open only to those who have not had professionally published (more than 5,000 copies) a novel or short novel, or more than three short stories, or more than one novelette in any medium.

5. Entries must be typewritten and double spaced with numbered pages (computer-printer output okay). Each entry must have a cover page with the title of the work, the author's name, address and telephone number and an approximate word count. The manuscript itself should be titled and numbered on every page, but the AUTHOR'S NAME MUST BE DELETED to facilitate fair judging.

6. Manuscripts will be returned after judging. Entries MUST include a self-addressed return envelope. U.S. return envelopes MUST be stamped; others may enclose international postal reply coupons.

7. There shall be three cash prizes in each quarter: 1st Prize of $1,000, 2nd Prize of $750, and 3rd Prize of $500, in U.S. dollars or the recipient's locally equivalent amount. In addition, there shall be a further cash prize of $4,000 to the Grand Prize winner, who will be selected from among the 1st Prize winners for the period of October 1 through September 30. All winners will also receive trophies or certificates.

8. The Contest will continue yearly with the following quarterly periods:
October 1 - December 31
January 1 - March 31
April 1 - June 30
July 1 - September 30
To be eligible for the quarterly judging, an entry must be postmarked no later than midnight on the last day of the Quarter.

9. Each entrant may submit only one manuscript per quarter. Winners in a quarterly judging are ineligible to make further entries in the Contest.

10. All entries for each quarter are final. No revisions are accepted.

11. Entries will be judged by professional authors. The decisions of the judges are entirely their own, and are final.

12. Winners in each Quarter will be individually notified of the results by mail.

This contest is void where prohibited by law.

Send your entry to:
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of The Future Contest,
P.O. Box 1630,
Los Angeles, Calif. 90078.

Link: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest