Saturday Writers
Official Writing Contest Rules
By submitting to a Saturday Writers’ contest, you are granting permission to publish your work in the Saturday Writers annual anthology in both paperback and eBook formats if your work is selected as a winner or otherwise chosen for publication. Rights return to the author 30 days after publication. First North American Rights.
GENERAL:
Review RULES & GUIDELINES each time you enter:
The following rules and guidelines are subject to change without notice. A set of rules pertaining to each individual contest may also apply. Check each contest page under the contest menu on our website for details.
How To Enter:
Contact: contest@saturdaywriters.org
Judge Critique - Additional Fee: $10
Want your submitted work critiqued by the contest judge?
Saturday Writers holds no control over the judge’s critique. Some judges will provide more feedback than others. Saturday Writers cannot promise you will like or agree with the critique you receive. Some judges are detailed, and some are not.
GENERAL:
- We publish 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners and all honorable mentions in both paperback and eBook formats. Rights return to the author 30 days after publication. Any exceptions to this rule will require approval. The anthology is published annually, with the release date determined by the publisher.
- All contests are judged "in the blind". You will not know who the judge is, and the judge will not know who the author is.
- Judges of the regular monthly contest(s) are NOT members of Saturday Writers. SW seeks judges with experience in the writing and editing world. Judges’ names will only be disclosed at the discretion of the judge. (Exceptions: SW Bonus Contests.)
- All entries must be submitted via the online form by the deadline.
- We will NOT accept entries in person at the monthly meeting.
- You may pay online via PayPal or send a check via USPS.
- Cash prizes are awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
Review RULES & GUIDELINES each time you enter:
The following rules and guidelines are subject to change without notice. A set of rules pertaining to each individual contest may also apply. Check each contest page under the contest menu on our website for details.
- Regular monthly contests are open to both members and non-members (18 or older).
- Bonus contests have their own set of rules and membership requirements.
- Entry fees: See information on each contest page for member and non-member entry fees.
- Submission limits: See information on each contest page for the number of submissions allowed.
- Allowable file formats: Entries must be submitted via the appropriate online form located under the writing contests menu drop-down as file uploads (.doc, .docx, or .rtf only). Do NOT submit with a PDF file. It will be disqualified.
- Word and line limits: Unless otherwise specified, stories must be 2,024 words or less, poems 50 lines or less. Word counts are determined solely by Microsoft Word exclusive of title.
- Document formatting: Please format your document in: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced (single spaced is only acceptable in poetry), page numbers located bottom center. The title should appear at the top of page one in the body of your submission not the header, with your manuscript to follow on the very next line. The title should be 12-point font, Times New Roman, not bold. Only the title of your work should appear at the top of your manuscript—do NOT put your name anywhere on the manuscript. Incorrect format disqualification is at judge’s discretion, no refunds.
- Entries must be unpublished and be the original work of the contestant. Unpublished includes not published on the internet, blog sites or in other books, magazines and anthologies. Anything posted online or in print is considered to be published.
- If your entry has won honorable mention or higher in one of our contests you may NOT resubmit the same story or poem in any year including the current contest season. Even if YOU choose to withdraw your story or poem from a winning place and publication with approval you may not resubmit that writing to a SW contest.
- The use of any generative artificial intelligence (AI) application for purposes of text content generation is prohibited. This includes the creation of any substantive element of a piece intended for contest submission – from the title all the way down to the conclusion of a story or poem.
- If AI‑generated content or feedback consists of a phrase exceeding five words and/or multiple phrases that represent an approximate 5% or more of the entire piece submission, do not use it. Saturday Writers, through monthly meetings, workshops, and other supportive resources, is here to help you in Developing and refining your (not a machine’s) writing talent.
- In an ever-evolving tech world, the list of AI applications currently comprises OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilot; however, this list is meant to include any others that come on the scene by virtue of creation or rebranding. As a rule of thumb, if the application can generate blocks of content, its use is limited to the following applications.
- Writers are permitted to use any AI tool, including those listed above, so long as it is strictly limited to spelling, punctuation, grammar checking, inline editing, an online dictionary or thesaurus, or as a pseudo critique partner (e.g., feedback on content clarity, logical layout, etc.). Examples of permissible AI tools include Google Docs, Grammarly, Hemmingway, Microsoft Editor (in Word), WordRake, and Wordtune.
- Please keep graphic, gratuitous sex, violence, and crude language to a minimum. If your piece wins, certain words and or offensive language may be changed during the editing process at the editor’s discretion.
How To Enter:
- Fill out the submission form and upload your entry on the monthly contest submissions form. If entering a bonus contest, please submit under the bonus contest page and individual forms. Examples: President's Contest, Poet Laureate Contest. Pen & Paint I or II. Reminder no identification (except title of piece) should appear on the actual submission entry, only on the bio and entry form.
- Entries are to be submitted as file uploads in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format only. Do NOT submit with a PDF file. It will be disqualified. No refunds.
- Pay for your entry either online, via the USPS:
- Online under contest payments using PayPal.
- Mail your check payable to “Saturday Writers” to: Saturday Writers, P.O. Box 2093, St. Peters, MO 63376 – if mailing a check, it must be post-marked one week prior to the deadline.
Contact: contest@saturdaywriters.org
Judge Critique - Additional Fee: $10
Want your submitted work critiqued by the contest judge?
Saturday Writers holds no control over the judge’s critique. Some judges will provide more feedback than others. Saturday Writers cannot promise you will like or agree with the critique you receive. Some judges are detailed, and some are not.
- A $10 fee paid to the judge is in addition to the contest entry fees (see individual contests for entry fees)
- Free contest entry coupons cannot be applied toward critique fee.
- Critique may only be purchased for the contest in which the work was submitted.
- To request, simply check the appropriate box on the entry submission form.
- PAY: online via PayPal or via the USPS.
By submitting to a Saturday Writers’ contest, you are granting permission to publish your work in the Saturday Writers 2024 Anthology in both paperback and ebook formats if your work is judged a winner or otherwise chosen for publication. First North American Rights. Rights return to author 30-days after publication
