The Bay Area Writers League

Student Writing Contest Guidelines

Genres accepted

Short story, original fiction, 500-2,500 words
Essay, any topic, 500-1,200 words
Poetry, any form, limit 50 lines, one poem per page

Mailing instructions

Entries should be mailed to:
B.A.W.L. Student Writing Contest
1409 Cedarbrook Ct.
Seabrook, Texas 77586

Entries must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2003.

Send four copies of each entry. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for returned manuscripts and critiques, or pick them up at the B.A.W.L. Conference.

Manuscript guidelines

Each entry must include a cover page with the following information:

your name your mailing address your phone number (including area code) your current age your grade the school you attend your school's phone number your teacher's name	in upper left corner
genre (short story, essay, or poetry) approximate word count for short story or essay line count for poetry	in upper right corner
title	centered on page

First page of prose must begin with the title approximately 12 double-spaced lines down (2.5 inches), then one double-space followed by the beginning of the work.

Each subsequent manuscript page must contain only the title of the work in the upper left header and the page number in the upper right.

Prose manuscripts must be double-spaced, with 25 lines per page and minimum one-inch margins (standard manuscript format).

Poems may be single- or double-spaced, one poem per page, and placed on the page as the writer would want it to appear in print.

Your name must not appear anywhere else on the manuscript.

No staples or binders.

Judging and awards

Unlimited submissions in each genre: short story, essay, and poetry.

Submissions will be judged on creativity, originality, writing quality, mechanics, and marketability.

Finalists will be announced in April and posted on the Web site.

Winners will be announced at the B.A.W.L. Conference.

Each finalist will receive a cash prize and free admission to the conference, May 11, 2002, for workshops conducted by professional authors. Winners must RSVP by May 1.

B.A.W.L. reserves the right to use the winning submissions three times for publicity purposes.

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B.A.W.L. is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit corporation chartered by the state of Texas.