Entries are open for the 3rd Quarter of the L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest – 2020.
Described as the most enduring and influential contest in the history of Science Fiction and Fantasy, the contest is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience.
No entry fee is required and entrants retain all publication rights. Entries in the Writers of the Future Contest are adjudicated only by professional writers.
Prizes
The following prizes are awarded every three months
- 1st place – $1000
- 2nd place – $750
- 3rd place – $500
From the four quarterly 1st Place winners each year, a panel of judges select one story as the grand prize winner.
The writer of the grand-prize-winning story receives the L. Ron Hubbard Golden Pen Award and an additional $5000 cash prize. All winners will also receive trophies.
Eligibility
- No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author. All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome.
- All entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. Plagiarism, which includes the use of third-party poetry, song lyrics, characters or another person’s universe, without written permission, will result in disqualification. Excessive violence or sex, determined by the judges, will result in disqualification. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media.
- To be eligible, entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. We regret we cannot consider poetry, or works intended for children.
- The Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment of at least eight cents per word, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits.
- This Contest is void where prohibited by law.
Submission Guidelines
- By submitting to the Contest, the entrant agrees to abide by all Contest rules.
- Entries submitted in hard copy must be typewritten or a computer printout in black ink on white paper, printed only on the front of the paper, double-spaced, with numbered pages. All other formats will be disqualified.
- Each entry must have a cover page with the title of the work, the author’s legal name, a pen name if applicable, address, telephone number, e-mail address and an approximate word count. Every subsequent page must carry the title and a page number, but the author’s name must be deleted to facilitate fair, anonymous judging.
- Entries submitted electronically must be double-spaced and must include the title and page number on each page, but not the author’s name.
- Electronic submissions will separately include the author’s legal name, pen name if applicable, address, telephone number, e-mail address and approximate word count.
- Manuscripts will be returned after judging only if the author has provided return postage on a self-addressed envelope.
- Only entries that do not require a delivery signature will be accepted.
- The Contest has four quarters, beginning on October 1, January 1, April 1 and July 1. The year will end on September 30. To be eligible for judging in its quarter, an entry must be postmarked or received electronically no later than midnight on the last day of the quarter.
- Late entries will be included in the following quarter and the Contest Administration will so notify the entrant.
- Each entrant may submit only one manuscript per quarter. Winners are ineligible to make further entries in the Contest.
- All entries for each quarter are final. No revisions are accepted.
- Entries will be judged by professional authors. The decisions of the judges are entirely their own and are final and binding.
- Winners in each quarter will be individually notified of the results by phone, mail or e-mail.
How to Participate
Entries can be submitted electronically or in hard copy.
To submit your entry electronically, click here and follow the instructions.
To send your entry in hard copy, mail it to:
L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest
7051 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90028
APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2020, by 11:59 p.m Pacific Standard Time.
