Short Story Festival

American Premier University (APU) Proudly Announces Its Annual Writing Contest

We eagerly embrace an array of fiction and nonfiction short story genres by extending an enthusiastic welcome to writers to explore the breadth of their creativity in any language and participate in our annual writing contest.

ShortStoryFestival

Prizes for Winners

First Prize

  • Cash Prize: $1,000 (USD)
  • Invitation letter to participate in the writing workshop held by The American Premier University.

Second Prize

  • Cash Prize: $500 (USD)

Third Prize

  • Cash Prize: $250 (USD)

Finalists:

  • All 15 finalists will receive certificate of recognition from American Premier University
  • All 15 finalists will have the opportunity to grant permission for the publication of their work as a book and on the university's website.

American Premier University Writing Competition Guidelines

1. Entrance Fee and Submission Limit:
Aspiring writers are cordially invited to embark on their literary journey by submitting an entry fee of $30 (USD), allowing the submission of up to two captivating short stories within a single entry.

2. Celebrated Genres:
The festival eagerly embraces an array of fiction and nonfiction genres, extending an enthusiastic welcome to writers to explore the breadth of their creativity.

3. Submission Deadline:
Ensure your literary gems grace our desks by July 20, 2024, at 11:59 PM (PT), marking the crescendo of this vibrant celebration of words.

4. Theme and Unveiling:
While we encourage the exploration of any theme, we request that submitted works remain untouched by prior publications, self- published platforms, websites, broadcasts, or accolades from other competitions.

5. Presentation Style:
Craft your tales within a 2000-word canvas, utilizing double-spacing, integrating the title and page number on each page, and opting for an elegant 12-point font. Let the author's name remain discreet within the work, to be thoughtfully provided on the Entry Form or attached separately.

6. Multilingual Expressions:
Our festival revels in linguistic diversity, extending an open invitation to works in any language. To join this global celebration, accompany your submission with a professional English translation.

7. Participant Pledge:
By submitting to this Festival, participants pledge wholehearted commitment to embracing and upholding the festivity's specified Terms and Conditions.

8. Electronic Overture:
The festival exclusively orchestrates electronic submissions, inviting you to visit (https:// apueducation.us/) for a harmonious guide through the submission process.

9. Adjudication Symphony:
A distinguished panel of five judges, three for the initial selection and two for the grand finale, will conduct a harmonious evaluation of entries anonymously. Only 15 finalists will be crowned, their names revealed to the public as a testament to their literary virtuosity.

10. Judicial Crescendo:
The decisions rendered by our esteemed judges stand as an autonomous, final, and binding crescendo, echoing the culmination of careful and melodious deliberation.

11. Harmony of Notification:
With bated breath, winners will receive a personalized symphony of results via phone or email, heralding a new movement in their writing opus. Additionally, we will announce the winners on the university's website, providing a triumphant spotlight for the celebrated literary achievements.

12. Solo Composition:
To add a touch of harmony to our selection process, if an author submits two entries, only one work will be qualify for recognition In the spirit of fairness

13. Rights and Permissions Overture:
While the rights to the story gracefully remain with the esteemed author, prize winners kindly extend an overture, permitting their work to publish and resonate on The American Premier University Website.

14. Disqualification Finale:
Entries falling out of tune with the festival's melody will, unfortunately, face disqualification, with entry fees standing as a non-refundable finale to the festival experience.

15. Literary Legacy:
Upon the conclusion of our harmonious adjudication, the distinguished final 15 works, carefully selected from a wealth of submissions, will be enshrined in a prestigious anthology by a renowned publishing house. This anthology will stand as a testament to the literary excellence celebrated at our festival, amplifying each chosen author's voice across the realms of literature.