Is there an entry fee?
No, there is no entry fee for either contest.

I’m not sure of my eligibility. Can you help me out?
Our primary eligibility criteria is “new and amateur.” Further criteria exist in either set of Contest rules. If, after reviewing these, you are uncertain of your eligibility, please contact the Contest Administrator, providing your complete publishing history.

Can I enter more than once?
Yes, as long as you are eligible. There is, however, a limit of one entry per contest per quarter.

I live in a country foreign to the United States. May I enter your
Contest(s)?
We welcome entries from all over the world. Manuscript entries must be submitted in English.

Are there any restrictions due to age or education level?
We welcome entries from all ages and walks of life.

What do the different levels of placement in the Contests mean?Writing Contest:
There are 4 levels of placement in the Writing Contest: Winner,
Finalist, Semifinalist and Quarterfinalist. Quarterfinalist entries are stories that are of exceptional quality which are in the top 10-15% of all entries for the quarter. It is meant to give special recognition as such. Semifinalist entries are in the level of placement above Quarterfinalist and just below Finalist entries. These receive a special critique from the Coordinating Judge. Finalist entries go on to a panel of 4 Finalist judges, who then choose the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Winners for the quarter. Finalist entries that do not win are then held (if the Finalist wishes to do this) for possible inclusion in the Writers of the Future Anthology, word space permitting.

Illustration Contest:
The Illustration Contest placement is the same as the Writing Contest above, with the exeption that there is no Quarterfinalist designation.
3 Co-Winners are chosen by the Finalist Judging Panel. Finalist entries
are not held for inclusion in the Anthology.

Note: Entrants of both Contests who do not place are encouraged to
continue to enter, as many past winners entered numerous times,
refining their craft each time they did.

May I submit a portion of my novel?
The Writers Contest is for short stories or novelettes only. Each entry must stand on its own as a finished work. Entrants may, however, submit a portion of a novel that has been edited and revised to be a complete work. This is acceptable to do. All submissions must be 17,000 words or less.

How should I send my entry?
We accept only entries for which our signature is not required to receive the entry, mailed to the P.O. Box for the Contest. All other forms of mail are acceptable. P.O. Box addresses are listed below and on the Contest rules.

May two (or more) writers author a story?
Yes. In fact, such stories have won the Contest in the past. Simply make sure each writer’s name and address appears on the title sheet.

Why didn’t I receive my entry back with the judging results?
Either you didn’t enclose a self—addressed stamped envelope or it was
lost in the mail.

My entry is over the 17,000 allowable word count. Do you ever make special allowances?
No. Either edit your story to meet the allowable word count or write us a new story that meets the word count criteria.

How do I tell if my story is within the acceptable word count limit?
A good rule of thumb is that when a page is properly formatted (double-spaced lines, 1 inch margins, 12 point font) each page will contain approximately 250 words. This would make a 17,000 word story to be about 65 to 68 pages in length.

Do you accept electronic submissions?
No. Please send hard—copy submissions only, through the mail.

How do you define excessive sex or violence?
We don’t. The rule exists only so the entrant who uses excessive sex or violence primarily in his story knows his entry will not win the Contest.

I sent you a (romance, biographical sketch, non—fiction essay, historical fiction, etc.) and it was entered in the Contest. What now?
The Contest is for science fiction and fantasy works only. The Contest Administrator does not read the submissions and would only catch the
above by chance. The judging process eventually catches them all.

I’m hoping to receive a critique on my entry so I may improve my
writing/artwork. Is this possible?
Critiquing is not really part of the Writers’ or Illustrators’ Contests. The judges do recommend that writers and artists continue to work on their craft and study artists and authors whom they admire. Buying and reading past Writers of the Future volumes is also extremely helpful to see what types of stories and artwork have won. The exception is for writers who have become semi-finalists. That is the category that gets a critique.

Are computer—generated and mixed media images ok to send in to the Illustrators’ Contest?
Yes, these are perfectly fine to send in.

What is meant in the Illustrators’ Contest rules by “three different
subjects”?
Three of the same subject would be 3 illustrations of dragons. Examples of three different subjects could be dragons, space ships and an alien planet.

Can I send my original works?
Please, do not send in originals. Always send copies that are of acceptable quality to you.

May I enter both Contests in the same quarter?
By all means, as long as you are eligible for each Contest. We require
two separate entries, however. For instance, please don’t send a story
with three illustrations tucked inside its pages. Two separate entries
must be sent to their respective Contest PO Boxes.

Am I to illustrate a story for my Illustrators’ Contest entry?
No. The first entry to the Illustrators’ Contest is comprised of three
different science fiction/fantasy illustrations created from the
artist’s imagination. When an entrant wins the Contest, he or she is
sent a story to illustrate.

May I enter just one piece of artwork?
No. We require three pieces. Three pieces helps the judges to
get a better idea of your style and skill.

May I enter color work?
Yes. You may enter either color or black and white artwork. Please send
copies only, not originals.

When can I expect to receive the judging results?
Initial judging takes approximately eight to ten weeks after the quarter deadline to finalize. On occasion we run late and request your patience while we catch up.

I have another entry ready to go for the next quarter and I have not heard back yet on judging. Should I hold off or should I send it in now?
By all means, send in the new entry. If you are a winner, your new entry will be pulled from the new quarter.

In closing, we always recommend you have a full set of hard-copy Contest rules to hand while preparing your entry to either Contest. These may be obtained by either downloading a set from this website or sending a #10 self addressed, stamped, return envelope to :

L. Ron Hubbard’s
Writers of the Future Contest
PO Box 1630
Los Angeles, CA 90078

L. Ron Hubbard’s
Illustrators of the Future Contest
PO Box 3190
Los Angeles, CA 90078

If you have a question that was not covered above and is not answered by a close reading of the Contest rules, you can contact the Contest Administrator by sending an email to contests@authorservicesinc.com.