The 2013 Contest Rules will be posted by January.  We expect they will be much like these.
Preservation Foundation 2012 Contests
For Unpublished* Writers

General Nonfiction
Travel Nonfiction

Drawing of a pyramid with a treasure inside.

 *For purposes of these contests, unpublished writers are defined as those whose creative writing (as opposed to writing for salaried jobs) has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year.  The Preservation Foundation has sole authority to rule on any writer's eligibility, the appropriateness of stories for entry, contest rules, and all other matters relating to the contest.

Rules For the 2012 Contests

    We will again have prizes for two categories of  nonfiction: General Nonfiction and Travel Nonfiction.
    Stories must be between 1500 and 5000 words in length.
    Stories posted from September 1, 2011, through August 31, 2012, are eligible if otherwise qualified.
    All contest entries will be posted on this web site and must remain on the site for as long as the Preservation Foundation exists.  Our object is to preserve these stories for future generations, not to put them up one year and take them down the next.  We will, however, have no objection to the stories being published elsewhere.  Contact us if you need clarification.
    Stories must be submitted by E-mail or as files on disc.  No paper manuscripts.   See How to submit a story
    No story may be entered in more than one contest.
    A writer may enter up to three stories in each contest.  There is no entry fee for the first story, but a fee of $10 (U.S.) will be required for each additional story in the same category.  There is no fee for stories not entered in contests.
    All entry fees will be applied exclusively toward contest prizes.  Fees can be paid by check or by credit card.  Click here for payment information.
    (Note: Most of the 2011 contest prize money came from donations by our members. Any of you fortunate enough to be able to help us finance the award program click here to do so.  Donations will help fund the prizes for future contests.)
    First prize in each category will be $100.  Winners, runner-ups, and finalists in each category will receive certificates of recognition suitable for framing.

 General Nonfiction Contest

    Any appropriate nonfiction topic is eligible.  Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts.  Stories entered in any of our previous contests will not be eligible unless they have been extensively revised.

Travel Nonfiction Contest

    Stories should be factual and true accounts of a trip taken by the author or someone known personally by the author.  Stories entered in any of our previous contests will not be eligible unless they have been extensively revised.

Judging

As we write this, the 2012 deadline is six months away, so we can't be sure if the same process will apply that has served  us well in the past.  However, if changes must be made we will make them.  If not, then the judging will be done as we did it for the 2011 contests. Click here to find out how that was done.


Fiction

    We will continue to accept new fictional stories of all types for display on the site.  However, we haven't had a fiction contest since 2000 and won't this year.  We love to read your stories though and are happy to post them.
    These decisions are based on our belief that many Internet sites now offer programs for writers of fiction, while very few encourage nonfiction. We believe too that writers of fiction are also capable of writing about real events in their own lives and the lives of those they know.  So get busy and prove us right!

Regular Story Submissions--No Limit

  While there is a limit of 3 entries in each of the contests, writers should continue to submit stories not meant for the contests, both nonfiction and fiction, for display on our site.  There is no limit.  Our purpose is to publish your works and you don't have to enter any contests for us to do that.
    Like to know more?


HOME PAGE

The Preservation Foundation, Inc., A Nonprofit Book Publisher