Submission Guidelines

SHORT STORIES AND POEMS

Short stories and poetry entries should be submitted in a Microsoft Word document format (.doc or .docx), with numbered pages and the story title on the first page. The judges would prefer 1.5 line spacing in Arial 12 font. Short stories should be 1000 – 5000 words. Poems are not restricted but 40 lines or under is recommended.

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SCRIPTWRITING

Scripts should be submitted in a PDF file using the correct industry format. We recommend using industry standard software such as CELTX for scriptwriting. You can download a free version here. Feature length scripts cannot be accepted.

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A tolerance of 10% is allowed on the stated parameters.

Competition Rules

The competition is open to any and all participants regardless of age or location.

Entries must be made through the correct entry submission page on our website with the appropriate fee.
 

There is no restriction on the number of entries per applicant, but each entry must be submitted separately with the appropriate submission fee.

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All entries must be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but stories must be withdrawn from this contest immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. The entry fee will not be refunded. (Note: If your story is posted on a personal blog, please remove it before submitting.)

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Your name must NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript, as the contest is judged anonymously.

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Entries cannot be altered after they are submitted.

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Entries that fall outside the parameters set out in the Competition Rules will be disqualified. The entry fee will not be refunded.

Terms and Conditions

​Current and former employees of Hammond House Publishing are not eligible to enter the competition. Previous contest entrants, including winners, are free to submit.

Entrants agree to their submitted manuscripts being published and/or performed as required by Hammond House Publishing for a period of 12 months from the date of winners being announced. 

All revenue from the sale of published work from competition entries will be retained by Hammond House Publishing Ltd to contribute to the cost of administrating the competition and other activities.

Copyright of all manuscripts submitted remains with the Author, who is free to publish their work elsewhere on the announcement of competition results unless their work is chosen for publication, in which case they are required not to publish elsewhere until 12 months after first being published by Hammond House Publication Ltd in which their work is included.

Complimentary copies of the anthologies are not posted out to participants who have entered the competition. Copies of the anthologies can be purchased from our online store.