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Cascade Christian Writers Cascade Contest

2023 Submission Rules

2024 Submission Rules Coming Soon! 

Contest Links:

Please study these links before registering

Contest Details | Scoring Elements | Submission Rules | Register

Submitting an entry or entries is a two-step process.

Note: Please complete both steps on the same day so that contest staff can easily match up payments with entries.

Follow the genre-specific rules below in preparing your entry document(s) for upload before proceeding to Step 1 between January 15 and February 15.

  • Step 1: Registration – Start with the link that will be provided 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.)
  • Step 2: Submit Entry– You will receive a link to the online entry form in your registration confirmation email from Step 1 and will need your confirmation number to complete Step 2. Provide entry information and upload your entry or entries via the online form.

Note: All entries must be unpublished, even for authors who have been previously published in a genre.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.

 

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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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 written 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 (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 written 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 in fiction.
    • 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 written 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 in fiction.
    • 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 written 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 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 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.