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Wyn Lit Contests

Submission
Guidelines

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Wyn Lit 24 ~ where members play for free!

( go to: > Wyn Lit 73 Hour Novella Writing Contest < )

Welcome to the Wyn Lit 24!

T Once every month, an email is sent to everyone on the mailing list. This email, entitled Wyn Lit 24 # XXX will include the details of that particular month's 24 hour short story writing contest. The contest usually falls on the third Saturday of each month but from time to time it does not --please check the Calendar for updates.

Guidelines, Information

and Registration

Follow the subject as closely as possible.
We always try to give you just a nibble of what the story should be about in the subject of the contest. Your story, most likely, will take a direction of its own as you build your characters within the story and develop the story line.
Your story does not need to start with the content of the subject but it must include the essence of the subject (names, characters, suggested storyline),
Your story may start elsewhere within the story line and develop toward the subject.
Your story does not have to include, word for word, what is written in the subject unless specifically requested.
Be sure to include the words in the list.
The words must be used exactly as they are written in the contest email without exception - i.e. plural forms, short phrases, etc.
Many times the contest entries are so good that three or four of them make it right to the end. It is at that time that the technicalities come into play. Recently, a story that should have won the 24 was eliminated because the author neglected to use the words as they were written in the list.
Stay true to the genre: If we state that the genre is Youth - that is exactly what we mean. Please be certain that your stories are written in the genre specified for that particular contest.
Do not use vulgar language. Remember, the winner is published in Wyn Lit and this publication is available, free, to the public on a bi-weekly basis. Our readership within North Bay is a strong 2,000 and growing. This means that anyone from the age of 9 to 99 can pick one up - and does. It is not acceptable to use vulgar language in Wyn Lit, nor is it acceptable to our sponsors. Wyn Lit 24 winning stories will be edited to remove all vulgar language without discussion or notice. But we won't have to take it out, if you don't put it in!
Within reason, the use of certain language will be acceptable in the Anthology. Anthology entries will be edited to minimize vulgar language as much as possible without discussion or notice. The best line to follow regarding this topic is to simply keep it clean and remember that the Wyn Lit market does not include vulgar language. If this is not acceptable to you, please do not enter the Wyn Lit 24 Hour Short Story Writing Contests.

Submitting your story.

Copy and paste your entire story into the body of an email and send it to us. Be sure to note in the subject line the number of the contest (i.e. Wyn Lit 24 #7).

If for some reason you cannot copy and paste your story into the body of an email, please let us know beforehand so that we know what to expect because we do not, under any circumstances, open attachments unless we specifically request them.

Registering for the Wyn Lit 24:

Starting January 2008, those of you wishing to enter Wyn Lit 24 and who are not members of Wynterblue will have to insure that your entry fee of $5.00 is submitted through PayPal via the Wynterblue Store or by cheque in sufficient time to be registered for that particular contest.

When you open your Wyn Lit 24 contest email, please reply to that email immediately. The time noted in your reply email is how we time your entry. Example: if you reply at 2:51 pm on Saturday, you will have until 2:51 pm the following day to complete your story.

We understand that not everyone will open their email at the same time during the weekend. We depend on the honour system in that you will let us know when you start by simply replying to the contest email and saying something as simple as "Please register me!"

We are flexible regarding the Wyn Lit 24 weekend registrations; however, we do not accept registrations beyond midnight on the Sunday of the weekend and therefore will not accept entries beyond midnight Monday.

Judging:

Judges decisions are final and no discussion will be entered into regarding the outcome of the contests.
Please do not email or call us to find out why you did not win.
Editorial feedback regarding your entry is available upon request at the time of submission.
Blind judging is being used to judge the entries. When they are received, they go through the following process:
- They are qualified for time.
- They are formatted to remove all identifying marks.
- They are printed and handed out to the judges.
- They are judged on the story alone.
- The top stories are then scored on technicalities such as subject, genre, word list and word count.
The best of the stories will be included in the anthology.
The winning story may not necessarily win in the anthology finals; however, it will be printed and available to the public through Wyn Lit and on the website.
Anthology finalists will have their names and the titles of their stories published in Wyn Lit and on the website.

The Anthology Finals

From April to March the best of the entries written during the Wyn Lit 24 contests will be included in an anthology which will be available to the public.
The public will be able to vote for the top three stories, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
You may be included in the anthology multiple times.
Authors included in the anthology (no matter how many times) will receive one free copy which will include a voting ballot.
The anthology will go on sale from February 1st to April 1st each year and can be pre-ordered by the public. It will be delivered to the public and the authors during May.
Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners are collected from September to May each year.
Winners of the Anthology will be announced in mid June and their prizes will be presented in a ceremony at a location and date which will be announced via email and on the website.

Exceptions

There are none; however, if you feel you have an exception for us to consider, please let us know by contacting us either through this website or via email.

...

RULES AND GUIDELINES

This contest is held yearly on the first weekend in November.

Note: You must be a resident of Canada to enter this contest.

Contestants choose from a selection of detailed subjects and will write their entry on that subject. We will not accept any entries that are not based on the subjects supplied to the contestants.

The 2009 Wyn Lit 73 begins at 12:01a.m. on November 7, 2009 and ends at midnight on November 9, 2009.

The contest closes promptly 73 hours later!

Deadline for Registration: postmark Thursday October 29, 2009. Contact us if you are worried that we haven't received your registration before the contest begins.

Entries must have a minimum of 16,000 words to qualify.

Average word count expected: 16,000 - 30,000 words.

Entry Fee $35.00 for non-members and $30.00 for members. Funds will be used to publish the winning authors.

The Short List will be posted on our website early in February. This list will include the top 7 entries from which the top two entries will be chosen.

PRIZES

First and Second Place winners will be chosen from the short list and will receive a limited publishing contract with Wynterblue Publishing.

The remaining 5 authors on the short list will be included in an anthology for which they will receive a royalty.

The winner is announced in March.

Entry payment options for this contest are available in the Wynterblue Store.