Annual Writing Contest

SAWG’s 31st writing contest is not open yet. At present, there is no proposed opening date.

In the meantime, draft, proof, draft, proof, and fine-tune your best, keeping in mind the entry rules below: noncomplying entries must be disqualified without refund.

The Basic Rules

  • Plots, characters and worlds must be original to the writer unless characters are real people.
  • Winning entries from prior SAWG contests are not eligible. Prior non-winners are welcome.
  • Entries previously published in any medium except for brief samples on authors’ social media or web sites are not eligible.
  • Entries accepted for publication elsewhere before the contest closes must be withdrawn.
  • Entries that do not conform to all submission requirements will be disqualified.
  • Entry fees are not refundable.
  • Unlike other contests, entrants retain all rights. SAWG publishes only an author’s name and the work’s title. A piece that wins does not count as being published.
  • The Guild will retain a copy of each winning entry in case a claim of plagiarism is levied.

The Categories

Book-Length Fiction

Short Story

Nonfiction/Memoir (either length)

Poetry

The Submission Requirements

  •  Book-length: 500-word-maximum synopsis followed by first 5,000 words starting on a fresh page.
  •  Short: maximum length 12,000 words
  •  Poetry: no size limits
  •  File type must be .doc, .docx or .pdf
  •  Font must be Times New Roman 12-point or Courier 12-point.
  •  Author’s name or identifying information must not appear anywhere on the document.
  •  All text must be double-spaced and must have one-inch margins all around.
  •  Pages must be numbered in the footer section of the page.
  •  Entry category and title must appear as a header of each page, including the first page.

The Entry Fees

Poems $10 per entry

All other genres $20 per entry

When paying entry fees, SAWG members may discount theirs by 25%.

The Prizes

In each category:

  • First place $100
  • Second place $50
  • Third place $25

Every prize includes one year’s SAWG membership ($35 value), link to the writer’s web site on SAWG’s Facebook and web pages, and a virtual ‘winner’ sticker to display as s/he wants to.

A writer may receive only one prize per category.

The Number of Entries

A writer may submit two entries per category, eight total entries per person.

The Judging

There are two rounds of blind judging.

  • The first round is done by screened, selected and trained SAWG volunteers.
  • Each entry will be assessed by at least three judges who are familiar with that genre.
  • Volunteer judges will have no contest entries in the genres they judge.
  • Five entries in each category with the highest initial scores will advance to the final round.
  • The final judges are successful professional writers or university-level writing instructors who specialize in the entries’ genres. None are SAWG members.
  • Winners will be notified by email, announced at the SAWG meeting following the final judging, and invited to read at a meeting. Their names and websites will be posted on the SAWG website and Facebook page.
  • All contestants may, if they wish, receive all score sheets for their work, including judges’ comments and advice, via email after the winners are announced.
  • All finalists may correspond with their final judges if they wish to.

Submitting and Paying

DO NOT SEND ENTRIES OR FEES NOW!

When the contest opens, you will be able to send your entry to [email protected] as a doc, docx or pdf attachment to an email, and pay your submission fee through PayPal to [email protected] .