Please read all the directions on the HOME page first. Your question is most likely answered on the home page, CONTEST GUIDELINES page, and the SUBMISSIONS page.

Can a published author submit an unpublished manuscript?

No. At this time, published authors can only submit published work in the specific published category you are not yet published.

Save this year's published entries for next year.

What is considered published or unpublished for this contest?

If any work is under signed contract before before the announcement of winners, will be ineligible for an award.

If an unpublished work is published before the close of the contest, it will be ineligible to receive an award for the unpublished category.

For sake of this contest, please consider yourself a published author whether you are traditional, hybrid, or self-published.

How many categories does the contest have?

We currently have four categories for both published and unpublished authors:

That makes a total of eight separate categories.

How many entries can I submit?

You may submit as many entries as you like, (book or manuscripts), but each manuscript can only be entered once in the contest this year.

Can I enter more than one manuscript into the same category?

Yes. But we have a strick limit of 2 manuscripts per category, and 5 total entries across all categories.

However, 1st place winning entries may not be entered into any future ACFW KidLit contests.

How many categories can I submit?

You are limited to FIVE total entries. Each manuscript can only be entered in one category. And no more than TWO submissions per category.

Please follow the specific guidelines on our website.

Can a published author enter a category or genre they have not yet been published?

If you have NOT been published in a specific category/genre, even if you are a published author in another category/genre, you may enter as a published author in the unpublished category/genre that you have not yet been published.

For example: A published author of a picture book and a young adult novel, may enter a middle grade novel, chapter books or easy reader fiction in the unpublished category.

They may not enter any categories that they have been published. (In this example, they cannot enter a board book, picture book, or YA novel in the unpublished categories.) See other guidelines for limitations.

How do I enter the contest?

After you have formatted your entry per the CONTEST GUIDELINES, you will use an online submission tool called GOOGLE FORMS, and upload your entry there.

You will also pay for each entry separately at the time of submission. You will not be able to adjust or change your entry, so please make sure you attach a properly formatted manuscript.

How do I pay for the contest?

When you submit your contest entry, you will be asked to pay for a single entry.

You may use PayPal or your credit card through PayPal.

If you are submitting more than two entries, please space them out and monitor your credit card to reduce the chance of getting flagged for fraudulent purchases.

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SUBMIT.

How can I save money by joining ACFW NATIONAL membership?

Go to the BOARD MEMBERS page and follow the directions there.

What if my payment gets rejected?

Again, do not wait until the last minute to submit. If your payment is rejected, or your internet goes down, you will want ample time to resubmit payment.

Please check with your bank and make sure to tell them you are submitting several payments of $ X.00 amount to make sure they do not block payments.

What if my entry is made before the deadline, but I couldn't complete the payment?

Please contact us well before the deadline to make sure we can properly assist you.

If you cannot pay, your entry will not be accepted into the contest beyond the deadline for any reason.

Will I receive confirmation of my entry and payment?

Yes. You should receive an automated message saying that we received your payment through PayPal.

That email will have a time/date stamp. You can use this as a receipt for your business records.

What if I send the wrong manuscript?

Whatever you send us the first time, will be the entry that we judge. No exceptions.

Please do not resubmit an entry. CONTACT US before the deadline if you have any questions.

What if I find a typo or a mistake in my entry AFTER I submit?

Please DO NOT resend your submission.

Please make note of the errors, refine your manuscript for the next contest, and keep working on your craft.

What are the requirements for formatting?

Please see the FORMATTING page for your specific category/genre and a sample formatting page for your genre.

DO NOT send alternate formatting or illustrations unless allowed by the instructions.

Please DO NOT send physical books. Follow the guidelines.

Where do I find the submission and judging rules?

There are several distinct tabs this year to help you choose which topic you want to explore.

On the VOLUNTEERS page you can find information about the rubrics the judges will use.

Can I use AI for my entry?

Simple answer is no.

No entries are allowed with the assistance of a text-generating AI such as ChatGPT. We value and reward human creativity and ingenuity.

Please do not enter work that has used AI in any way.

What if my email is not accepted on the Google Form?

You will have to create a gmail account before you can use Google Forms.

If you don't have an author email account, you can use your author name or pen name!

You must also use Google Chrome Web Browser for submission and judges uploads.

What if my question is not listed here?

If you have read all the questions above, please

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