PAPER and WEIGHT do not have to be the
focal point(s) of the story, but they should
be so important that the story would
not make sense without them.
USAGE: You may use them together (PAPERWEIGHT) or separate (PAPER and WEIGHT).
Any kind of PAPER is acceptable: a piece of paper, a paper photo, origami made from paper, a newspaper, the paper used for drawing, printing, or writing, toilet paper, etc. Also, any kind of WEIGHT is acceptable: the weight of a dumbbell, the weight of a snow globe, gaining or losing weight, the weight of an animal, a heavyweight or lightweight boxer, and so on.
The use of each theme word must be obvious, and it must be required for the story to work. EXAMPLE: If the theme words were DOOR and BELL-When the epic church bell rang, it flew out of the belfry and landed in the street, causing the ground to shake and a nearby bridge to collapse, completely disconnecting two small towns and causing the main part of the story to take place. That might be the only time the BELL existed in the story, but if you took the bell out, the rest of the story wouldn't work. DOOR would have to be just as vital, even if it's not what the story is about.
PRIZES
1st Place - $100
2nd Place - $75
3rd Place - $50
Up to two Judges' Choice
Up to three Honorable Mention
For more information about awards, click here.
.
SUBMISSION DATES
E-mail submissions will be
accepted from July 1, 2023 until
11:59 PM (CDT) on August 31st, 2023.
.
ENTRY FEE
$10.00 USD; multiple entries allowed.
-- SPECIAL --
Two for the price of one, per author.
To qualify, both stories must be submitted in same email.
No quantity limit for special rate.
Entry Fee must be paid from contest website.
.
WINNERS
Winners will be announced and
awards/certificates will be mailed
on or before December 5th, 2023.
First Place will also be listed here.
.
GUIDELINES
Fiction or Nonfiction
Any subject / Any genre
(No erotica, gore, or poetry.)
2000 word limit, not including title
Must be a complete story. (Beginning, middle, end.)
All entries must be UNPUBLISHED* as of submission deadline.
.
ANONYMOUS SUBMISSION RULES
No identifying author information
allowed on the story pages.
.
FORMATTING
Entries should be written in American English.
Font: size 12, easy to read, use curly quotes.
Double-spaced.
One inch margins.
No special "front page only" formatting is required.
Top right of every page: Title / page #
EXAMPLE: The Last Tadpole / 1
.
COVER PAGES
Each story should have a separate cover
page with the following information:
Author Name
Complete Mailing Address
Phone Number
Email Address
Cash Award Preference
(USPS Money Order or PayPal)
PayPal address
(if preferred for Cash Award, or if winner is outside USA)
Story Title
Fiction / Nonfiction
# of words in story
First full line of story
.
Polish your story with this check list:
Use Story Checks that is located on KidzTales Resources page.
.
* UNPUBLISHED
Not published in a book, ebook, audio, website, mass email, or other format that is publicly shared, including online. (This does not include items shared for critique in private writing groups. In fact, we encourage critique before submission.)
.
.
Questions about the contest?
Email Renee' at lsswc@jespiddlin.com.
.
focal point(s) of the story, but they should
be so important that the story would
not make sense without them.
USAGE: You may use them together (PAPERWEIGHT) or separate (PAPER and WEIGHT).
Any kind of PAPER is acceptable: a piece of paper, a paper photo, origami made from paper, a newspaper, the paper used for drawing, printing, or writing, toilet paper, etc. Also, any kind of WEIGHT is acceptable: the weight of a dumbbell, the weight of a snow globe, gaining or losing weight, the weight of an animal, a heavyweight or lightweight boxer, and so on.
The use of each theme word must be obvious, and it must be required for the story to work. EXAMPLE: If the theme words were DOOR and BELL-When the epic church bell rang, it flew out of the belfry and landed in the street, causing the ground to shake and a nearby bridge to collapse, completely disconnecting two small towns and causing the main part of the story to take place. That might be the only time the BELL existed in the story, but if you took the bell out, the rest of the story wouldn't work. DOOR would have to be just as vital, even if it's not what the story is about.
PRIZES
1st Place - $100
2nd Place - $75
3rd Place - $50
Up to two Judges' Choice
Up to three Honorable Mention
For more information about awards, click here.
.
SUBMISSION DATES
E-mail submissions will be
accepted from July 1, 2023 until
11:59 PM (CDT) on August 31st, 2023.
.
ENTRY FEE
$10.00 USD; multiple entries allowed.
-- SPECIAL --
Two for the price of one, per author.
To qualify, both stories must be submitted in same email.
No quantity limit for special rate.
Entry Fee must be paid from contest website.
.
WINNERS
Winners will be announced and
awards/certificates will be mailed
on or before December 5th, 2023.
First Place will also be listed here.
.
GUIDELINES
Fiction or Nonfiction
Any subject / Any genre
(No erotica, gore, or poetry.)
2000 word limit, not including title
Must be a complete story. (Beginning, middle, end.)
All entries must be UNPUBLISHED* as of submission deadline.
.
ANONYMOUS SUBMISSION RULES
No identifying author information
allowed on the story pages.
.
FORMATTING
Entries should be written in American English.
Font: size 12, easy to read, use curly quotes.
Double-spaced.
One inch margins.
No special "front page only" formatting is required.
Top right of every page: Title / page #
EXAMPLE: The Last Tadpole / 1
.
COVER PAGES
Each story should have a separate cover
page with the following information:
Author Name
Complete Mailing Address
Phone Number
Email Address
Cash Award Preference
(USPS Money Order or PayPal)
PayPal address
(if preferred for Cash Award, or if winner is outside USA)
Story Title
Fiction / Nonfiction
# of words in story
First full line of story
.
Polish your story with this check list:
Use Story Checks that is located on KidzTales Resources page.
.
* UNPUBLISHED
Not published in a book, ebook, audio, website, mass email, or other format that is publicly shared, including online. (This does not include items shared for critique in private writing groups. In fact, we encourage critique before submission.)
.
.
Questions about the contest?
Email Renee' at lsswc@jespiddlin.com.
.
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