Calling all writers!  You are invited to enter the second annual American Presidents Film & Literary Festival Writing Contest.  Cash prizes will be awarded to age groups in two categories: essays and poetry. Winning entries may be published on this website and/or in a festival brochure.

GENERAL CONTEST RULES

  • Your entry must be original, in English, text only (no images), unpublished and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission.
  • The American Presidents Film and Literary Festival retains one-time nonexclusive publication rights to the winning entries to be published in a festival publication and/or on the festival website. Any piece posted anywhere online is considered published.
  • Entries must be typed and formatted to 8-1/2 x 11 inch pages, single-sided, one inch margins.  Essays must be double-spaced. Poetry may be single-spaced.
  • Fonts:  please use a font that is easy to read. Do not use a decorative or script font.  12-point type size is preferred but not mandatory.
  • Your name, address, email, phone number, and date of birth must appear in the entry email.   
  • Entries will not be returned.  Please keep a copy for your records.  Non-winning entries will be shredded.
  • Due to U.S. Government restrictions, we are unable to accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Sudan.
  • Every entry will be read by the judges. Judges’ decisions are final.
  • Winners are responsible for any income taxes due on cash prizes.
  • The following are not permitted to enter the contest: members of the festival planning committee and their immediate family members, festival speakers and workshops instructors.
  • Award winners will be notified by September 23, 2019.   Winners may be listed on the festival website and/or in a festival brochure.

HOW TO ENTER:

All entries* must be submitted as an email attachment to:  writingcontest@birchard.org or by using this submission form:



    *(Students in the Fremont City School District may submit entries created for class assignments through their teachers.)

    DEADLINE

    The deadline for all entries is Sept.7, 2019, 11:59 p.m.

    POETRY CATEGORY DETAILS

    • The topic for the poetry contest is U. S. Presidents and the Presidency.  Poems may be about a single president, more than one president, or the U. S. Presidency in general.
    • BE SURE OF YOUR LINE COUNT! Entries exceeding the 32-line limit will be disqualified. Type the exact line count (counting every single line, except the title and contact information) at the top of the manuscript.  Do not count spaces between lines or between stanzas.
    • Entries in the poetry category are limited to two per person.
    • Three age categories for the poetry contest: Youth ages 0-11,  Youth ages 12-18, Adult

    ESSAY CATEGORY DETAILS

    • The three age categories for the essay contest are:  Youth ages 0-11, Youth ages 12-18, and Adult.
    • The topic of the essay contest for Youth ages 0-11 is:  A Conversation with Your Favorite President.  What would you talk about?  What questions would you ask?  Do you think you would learn anything?    Maximum length: 200 words.
    • The topic of the essay contest for Youth ages 12-18 and for Adults is:  A Conversation with Your Favorite President.  What would you talk about?  What questions would you ask?  Do you think you would learn anything?    Maximum length: 500 words.
    • Entries in the essay category are limited to one per person.  

    CONTEST PRIZES

    • One First Place Winner in each age group for each category will receive $50 in cash.
    • One Second Place Winner in each age group for each category will receive $30 in cash.
    • One Third Place Winner in each age group for each category will receive $20 in cash.