Cascade Contest Submission Rules

Before entering, please review the Submission Rules on this page, Details Page and Scoring Elements.

Process for Entering the Cascade Writing Contest

All entries will be processed through an online form where you will pay for your entry and upload your entry document(s).

Follow the genre-specific rules below in preparing your entry document(s) for upload before filling in your entry information and submitting payment. Entries will be accepted between January 15 and February 15.

The link to enter the contest will be available starting on January 15. Fill in the requested information and pay the required entry fee electronically. (Other payment options will be available if you are unable to pay online.) Upload your entry document(s) where indicated.

Note: All entries must be unpublished, even for authors who have been previously published in a genre. See the Contest Details page for more info.

General note about formatting: If you do not know how to format documents in MS Word, how to insert information in the header of a document, or how to save a file as an MS Word .docx file or a PDF file, please ask a friend or colleague for assistance. The Cascade Contest Director is unable to provide technical assistance.

Rules for Formatting Your Submission

Contemporary Fiction Book

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Use three asterisks for scene breaks or new chapters.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: CF.Title of Book.docx or CF.Title of Book.PDF
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Historical Fiction Book

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Use three asterisks for scene breaks or new chapters.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: HF.Title of Book.docx or HF.Title of Book.PDF
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Speculative Fiction Book

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Use three asterisks for scene breaks or new chapters.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: SF.Title of Book.docx or SF.Title of Book.PDF
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Nonfiction Book

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry, which may be in either paragraph form or a chapter-by-chapter outline, depending on the type of book.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: NONF.Title of Book.docx or NONF.Title of Book.PDF
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Memoir Book

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: MEM.Title of Book.docx or MEM.Title of Book.PDF
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Young Adult Book (ages 12–18+), Fiction and Nonfiction

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry, which may be in either paragraph form or a chapter-by-chapter outline, depending on the type of book.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Use three asterisks for scene breaks and new chapters in fiction, and new chapters in nonfiction.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: YAF.Title of Book.docx or YAF.Title of Book.PDF(for fiction) or YAN.Title of Book.docx or YAN.Title of Book.PDF (for nonfiction).
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Middle Grade Book (ages 8–12), Fiction and Nonfiction

Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman) as the first page of your entry, which may be in either paragraph form or a chapter-by-chapter outline, depending on the type of book.
Include the first 15 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Use three asterisks for scene breaks or new chapters in fiction, and new chapters in nonfiction.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: MGF.Title of Book.docx or MGF.Title of Book.PDF (for fiction) or MGN.Title of Book.docx or MGN.Title of Book.PDF (for nonfiction).
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 16 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 15 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Children’s Chapter Book (ages 6–10), Fiction and Nonfiction

Include a one-page single-spaced synopsis (in 12-pt Times New Roman), which may be in either paragraph form or a chapter-by-chapter outline, depending on the type of book.
Include the first 10 pages of your book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font. (Do not include the title page, foreword, or table of contents.)
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Indent each new paragraph by setting the half-inch default instead of indenting five spaces or tabbing.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: CCBF.Title of Book.docx or CCBF.Title of Book.PDF (for fiction) or CCBN.Title of Book.docx or CCBN.Title of Book.PDF (for nonfiction)
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum page limit of 11 total pages (one-page synopsis and first 10 pages of the manuscript).
Do not include any illustrations.

Children’s Picture Book (ages 2–10+), Fiction and Nonfiction

Include the entire text of the book, double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Format text in paragraphs of approximately three to five lines each, with each paragraph representing a page.
Leave four blank lines between paragraphs.
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Include the manuscript title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, either in MS Word or PDF format, with the filename in the following format: CPBF.Title of Book.docx or CPBF.Title of Book.PDF (for fiction) or CPBN.Title of Book.docx or CPBN.Title of Book.PDF (for nonfiction)
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not include any illustrations.

Poetry

Include a single poem of up to 1,000 words.
Format poem double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Insert an extra line for stanza breaks.
Indent lines by using indent function in MS Word instead of spacing or tabbing.
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Include the poem title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, in MS Word format, with the filename in the following format: POEM.Title of Poem.docx
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum word limit of 1,000 total words.
Do not include any illustrations.

Devotional

Include one devotional of up to 350 words, including the quoted Scripture.
Format devotional double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Include the devotional title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, in MS Word format, with the filename in the following format: DEVO.Title of Devotional.docx
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum word limit of 350 total words.
Do not include any illustrations.

Article, Column, or Nonfiction Short Story

Include one complete article, column, or nonfiction short story of up to 2,000 words.
Format your entry double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Include the article or story title and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, in MS Word format, with the filename in the following format: ART.Title of Article.docx
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum word limit of 2,000 total words.
Do not include any illustrations.

Fiction Short Story (includes Flash Fiction)

Include one entire short story or a flash fiction piece. Word count for each entry not to exceed 2,000 words.
Format your entry double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Set all margins to 1 inch.
Include the title of your entry and category at the top left and the page number at the top right of each page in the header.
Save your entry as a single document, in MS Word format, with the filename in the following format: SSFF.Title of Story.docx
Do not include your name on any page of your entry.
Do not exceed the maximum word limit of 2,000 total words.
Do not include any illustrations.

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