It’s not too early to prepare for the next one!

The Basic Rules

Please review carefully. Noncomplying entries will be disqualified without refund.

• 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 or self-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• Entries accepted for publication elsewhere before the contest closes must be withdrawn.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 be levied.
• Submissions will be accepted September through January, with discounted entry fees until mid-December

The Categories

• Book-length fiction
• Short story
• Nonfiction/Memoir (either length)
• Poetry

The Format Requirements

•  Book-length: 500-word-maximum synopsis followed by the first 5,000 words starting on a fresh page.
•  Short: maximum 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 submission.
•  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 on every page, including the first page.
• Nonfiction must include appropriate sourcing: footnotes, references, etc.

The Entry Fees

Will be announced before the contest opens. Watch this page.

The Prizes

Every prize includes one year’s SAWG membership, a link to the writer’s web site on SAWG’s 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.

How The Judging is Done

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

Send your entry to [email protected] as a doc, docx or pdf attachment to an email. Pay your submission fee through PayPal to [email protected] .