International Writing Contest

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the first International Writing Contest organized by Daily-Update Publishers. The closing date for this contest is 1^st February 2007 and we plan to make it an annual event thereafter.

The competition is for teenagers from around the world.

Our apologies to younger writers, but it is our policy not to accept details or entries from those aged below 13 (see our PRIVACY POLICY). However, you can try to get your school to join our OTHER WRITING CONTEST in which your whole school (you, your schoolmates and even your teachers) compete against other schools from around the world. Please keep practising your individual writing, too, and send us your submissions as soon as you hit 13!

To talented young authors: This is your opportunity to embark on the path to success by doing well in a writing contest and being published at a young age. Go for it!

DETAILS

Junior Contest

Closing date for registration & payment: 31st December 2006
(or 15th November 2006 for the Earlybird Special - see below)

Closing date for entries: 1^st February 2007

Winning entries announced on this Webpage: 15^th April 2007

Maximum length: 1000 words

Submission: We are asking for a short story. It can be on any topic and in any style. You can see below for some tips.

Entry fee: AU$15.00 per entry (if you would like feedback, please add an extra AU$15 per entry).

   Earlybird Special: Register and pay before 15th November 2006
   and you only have to pay AU$10.00 per entry (and if you’d like
   feedback, just add an extra AU$10.00 per entry).

Payment may be made by the following methods:

(a) Australian cheque or money order made out to Daily-Update Pty Ltd;
(b) PayPal to our account: support@daily-update.com (you can set up a free PayPal account at www.paypal.com then it is free to send money to our PayPal account);
(c) Credit card (just fill in your details on the entry form - see below).

How to register:
CLICK HERE to go to the junior entry form.

Receipt of your entry will be acknowledged by email (if an email address is provided).

Suggestions for Junior Writers

We will be judging your story in four main areas:

1. Research and Structure

2. Setting, Plot and Character Development

3. Supporting Details and Literary Skill (for example, the ability to find something profound in an everyday event)

4. the Mechanics, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, word choice, usage and flow

For further help in these four areas, please CLICK HERE.

Now please make sure you read the contest rules below.

Senior Contest

Closing date for registration & payment: 31st December 2006
(or 15th November 2006 for the Earlybird Special - see below)

Closing date for entries: 1^st February 2007

Winning entries announced on this Webpage: 15^th April 2007

Maximum length: 3000 words

Submission: The subject matter is completely open. You may, for example, decide to send a short story, a poem, a serious essay, or whatever (see below for some tips).

Entry fee: AU$20.00 per entry (if you would like feedback, please add an extra AU$20.00 per entry).

   Earlybird Special: Register and pay before 15th November 2006
   and you only have to pay AU$15.00 per entry (and if you’d like
   feedback, just add an extra AU$15.00 per entry).

Payment may be made by the following methods:

How to register:
CLICK HERE to go to the senior entry form.

Receipt of your entry will be acknowledged by email (if an email address is provided).

Suggestions for Senior Writers

Because the contest at senior level is completely open in terms of genre, style and content, there may well be a diverse range of entries. Each entry will therefore be judged as a whole, taking into account what the author seems to be wanting to achieve and an assessment of the overall quality of writing.

As a very, very general guide (and we may not stick to this guide at all should an entry have a radically different structure, content or style), we will look at many of the points in the DAILY-UPDATE SENIOR CONTEST GUIDE.

The points in this guide tend to cover a broad range of works, from short stories and poems to opinion essays and factual accounts, but again - they are only a rough guide. Please do not feel limited in any way.

Now please make sure you read the contest rules below.

Rules for both Junior and Senior Contests

1. Entries must be in English.

2. Entries should preferably be in Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign. If you do not have this software, you can click “Save As” in your own wordprocessing software, then select the “Plain Text” or “TXT” format. If you don’t have this, you could select one of these formats: “Web Page” or “HTML” or “Rich Text Format” or “RTF.” If you cannot provide your submission in one of these formats, then you can send a hard (paper) copy (not original) to:

Daily-Update Publishers
PO Box 1031
Macleay Island
Qld 4184
Australia

The preferred method of submission is by email to contest@daily-update.com

3. The submission must not have been previously published.

4. The entire submission must be your own work. You are not allowed to get any help at all (even for proofreading). We want to compare teenagers with teenagers, not teenagers with adults.

5. Entries over the word count will be read and considered, but will be treated
less favourably. The word count does not include the title of the work.

6. Entries arriving at Daily-Update after the closing date will not be considered.

7. Entries arriving without the entry fee will not be considered until the entry fee arrives.

8. Once you have submitted your entry, it cannot be altered.

9. You must be aged 13-15 to enter the junior level of the competition or 16-18 to enter the senior level. The winners and honourable mentions will be contacted for proof of age.

10. The three winners and honourable mentions for each level agree to have their entries published by Daily-Update, either in two anthologies (one for the junior level and the other for the senior one) or in a combined anthology, depending on the standard and number of entries. All authors retain copyright in their works.

11. Each entry requires a separate entry form, although the fees for all entries may be combined in one payment.

12. Entries must be thoroughly proof-read. Typos; spelling and grammar errors; and inappropriate or ineffective word choice should be eliminated, and your work refined to improve flow and quality.

13. When you register, you will be given a unique code. Put your topic at the top of your submission, along with this code (don’t put your name on your submission - your work will then be anonymous for the judge).

14. Pages should be typed, double-spaced and numbered.

15. Your work must be decent since children may be reading it (so no swear words or rude bits, please).

Queries

Email: CONTACT US

Telephone: +61-7-3409 5866

Skype (Internet Phone): daily-update-publishers