All writing must be submitted either as Microsoft Word (.doc), or Rich Text Format (.rtf) document.

All artwork must be submitted as a JPEG (.jpeg).

Please save your submission as Firstname-Lastname-Titleofwork

Please put your title at the top of your submission in bold.

Individuals must submit their own work.

• Teachers are encouraged to assist with their student’s submission, but ultimately we want the creators to get in the habit of submitting their work.

Please only submit one time to each qualifying contest.

Middle and high school work should reflect the tone, content, and diction appropriate for that age group.

In all submissions, please try your best to avoid adult situations and unnecessary rough language.

Resubmitted or previously published work is not allowed.

No submission that violates copyright laws in any way or plagiarizes another work will be accepted for publication.

Middle School

• Poetry - 25 lines or less

• Short Fiction - 1,000 words or less

• Creative Nonfiction - 1,000 words or less

• Digital image of artwork - 300 dpi

High School

• Poetry - 35 lines or less

• Short Fiction - 1,500 words or less

• Creative Nonfiction - 1,500 words or less

• Digital image of artwork - 300 dpi

NCTC College Students

• Poetry - 50 lines or less

• Short Fiction - 2,500 words or less

• Creative Nonfiction - 2,500 words or less

• NCTC Expository (Academic Essay) - 2,500 words or less (work cited page and in-text citations required)

• Digital image of artwork - 300 dpi

Adult Non-Professional Writers (including all other college students)

• Poetry - 50 lines or less

• Short Fiction - 2,500 words or less

• Creative Nonfiction - 2,500 words or less

• Digital image of artwork - 300 dpi