The Challenge Rules (from April 4, 2019)

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Deb Porter
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The Challenge Rules (from April 4, 2019)

Post by Deb Porter »

* You must be a GOLD or PLATINUM Member to submit entries to the FaithWriters’ Writing Challenge.

* SILVER members are able to submit a total of four entries during their membership.

* Only ONE entry per topic per member is permitted.

* All entries MUST be conceived and written AFTER the topic is announced. No previously written material, published or otherwise, should be submitted. This is because the Challenge is designed to act as a tool to help writers develop their ability to write to topic, deadline and word count.

* The participation by members in Challenge Buddy/Critique groups is encouraged for the fine-tuning of entries prior to submission; however, the concept and original article must be written by the author alone, without group input. Once self-edited, the entry may be submitted to a Challenge Buddy group for critique prior to submission to the Challenge. For more information regarding Challenge Buddy groups, please visit: http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpB ... 90&t=33842

* Professional editing prior to submission of an entry is NOT PERMITTED.

* Entries must be between 150 and 750 words. Entries that fall outside those word count limits will be disqualified and removed; however, every attempt will be made to contact the author in time for them to re-submit their entry (although this is not an obligation on the part of FaithWriters). Please note: brief author notes and footnotes are not included in the 750 word count limit, but please keep these to a minimum.

* Entries may be in any style or genre, and they do not need to be overtly Christian in message. However, they must, at minimum, come from a Christian worldview/outlook. The entry may be directed to readers in general, the Christian reader, or may be evangelistic in nature. Entries can also be simply clean, fun and humorous from a Christian point of view, Christian Soup for the Soul style, provided they fit the topic. In the case of fiction, the Christian worldview/outlook may be subtle or allegorical, but it should still offer a fairly clear Christian viewpoint. While it is not required, adding a scripture verse is always encouraged to clarify the message. Entries that are clearly outside of a Christian worldview will remain on the list, but will be not eligible for judging. Entries with offensive language or content, that are overly violent or sensual, and/or are deemed inappropriate for Christian readers, will be removed, even if these elements are used in the portrayal of a non-Christian character.

* Formatting, if any, should be kept to the most basic HTML. In other words, italics, bold, underlining and centering. Any other formatting (for example, different fonts, font sizes, colors, shaped text or images) used in Challenge entries may be removed. This is to ensure entries are being judged on the quality and creativity of the writing, not the quality and creativity of layout and design. For help on using basic HTML in Challenge entries, please read this FAQ.

* Entries cannot be edited by the author once they are submitted, so it is very important that all editing be done BEFORE SUBMISSION.

* PLEASE NOTE: Entries cannot be removed from the Challenge once the relevant topic has closed.

* Individual authors carry all responsibility regarding the content of their work, so please don’t submit anything that may be considered defamatory, libellous or as having breached a person’s privacy (living or dead). This is for your protection, so please use wisdom when choosing your subject matter.

* With the obvious exception of lyrics and poetry written by the submitting author, Challenge entries MUST not include any copyrighted song lyrics or poetry, in part or in full, unless the lyrics or poems fall within the Public Domain. The use of song and poem titles is acceptable.

* If you use any Scripture verse(s) in your entry, you MUST identify the source of the Scripture, i.e. NIV, NKJV, NLT, etc. by including a footnote with that information. The passage(s) of Scripture used MUST BE quoted ACCURATELY (unless using a personal paraphrase, in which case, no reference is required other than a note to indicate this was the author’s paraphrase).

* If a fictional entry is written in the first person and could be mistaken for a true story, please include a footnote to say that it is a work of fiction. The same should be done if a true story could be mistaken for fiction. This clarification will help the judges accurately determine the publishing potential of the entry.

* Late entries cannot be included after the topic closes, regardless of the circumstances. It is literally impossible to slip a late or missed entry into the list once the topic closes (sorry).

* The judges’ decision is final and absolutely no correspondence will be entered into.

* Note: Every effort is made to contact an author in the case of a disqualified entry (although such disqualifications are quite rare). Even so, FaithWriters.com is under no obligation to notify the author in such circumstances.

* Please read ALL instructions on the submission page to be sure your entry is submitted properly.

* After submission, you should be taken to a page saying your entry was successfully submitted. If you do not receive this page, please re-submit immediately or contact FaithWriters for confirmation.

More information regarding the Challenge can be found in the FAQ's section on the FaithWriters' Message Boards http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpB ... m.php?f=35

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AGREEMENT:
By entering the Writing Challenge, you agree to allow FaithWriters.com to use your article in any FaithWriters’ book, if your entry is chosen as one of the ten Editor’s Choice winners for any topic. You will receive no compensation from your entry being used in these books, and if you hold a copyright on your material, you agree to release to FaithWriters.com the rights to use your entry in any of our books.
You also acknowledge that you are the author of all material submitted and that your entry is not plagiarized in any way.
You agree to give FaithWriters.com permission to edit your winning entry in preparation for publication.
FaithWriters.com reserves the right, at any time, to reject any entry into the Writing Challenge if deemed inappropriate.
FaithWriters.com reserves the right, at any time, to reject any winning entry from inclusion in the FaithWriters’ books, for any reason.
FaithWriters.com reserves the right, at any time, to modify these terms of service without notice.

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More information regarding the Challenge can be found in the FAQs section on the FaithWriters' Message Boards.
Deb
FaithWriters' Writing Challenge Co-ordinator
Breath of Fresh Air Press

Breath of Fresh Air Press - a little publisher with a lot of heart

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