“The most important thing is to read as much as you can, like I did. It will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary.” 

– J.K.Rowling (author of Harry Potter)

PRODUCTION RULES

In preparation for writing, students should draw from their own personal knowledge and research information from a variety of sources including historical and  reference material, interviews, personal experiences, newspapers, academic journals, auto-biographies, films and television movies, or internet sources.

These researches are solely opportunities for learning. Plagiarism is not accepted and a disqualification act (for example: copying published information, submitting someone else’s
text as your own).

DESCRIPTION AND GUIDELINES

The contest is open to all Miami-Dade Elementary, Middle and High School students
in grades 3 – 12.

Writers may submit:
Elementary (grades 3 – 5):
One typed or hand-written story between 1,000 and 1,500 words
Middle (grades 6 – 8):
One typed story between 1,500 and 3,000 words
High School (grades 9 – 12):
One typed story between 3,000 and 4,500 words

• There is no restriction on style.
• Each story must be the work of one student and not the collective work of two or more students.
• By submitting the manuscript, the applicant certifies that the story is original, authored solely by her/him and has never been published.
• The story cannot be plagiarized or infringe upon the rights of any third parties.
• The story must be written in English.
• The story must have a title.
• The author must provide a cover such as a drawing, a picture or else.
• This is optional, but the author can add illustrations to the story.
• A 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner for each level is selected as well as a
  Grand Prize per level if deserved.
• Cash prizes, creative writing workshops and diplomas are given to all winners.
• The Grand Prizes have each their manuscript published as a book and a podcast.
• The stories are judged by professionals from the literary, educational and the art world on the following:
  o Creativity and originality
  o Composition and overall structure
  o Sentence construction and fluency

THEMES

Themes are exclusively FREE CHOICE.

SUBMISSION (Deadline is the first day of the 2021 academic year)

You can submit your manuscript ONLY:

– By email in Word or pdf format at mystory@laplumecontest.com