2022 GUIDELINES, FEES, PRIZES & JUDGING
NO PRICING INCREASE OVER 2021
ELIGIBILITY
- All entries must be published in 2021 and have a 2021 copyright date.
- Eligible entries must be in English or French (see categories for more info).
- Self-published entries are admissible if the work has been edited by a professional editor with experience in the publishing industry.
- The content of eligible entries must be consistent with a Christian worldview and the historic Christian tradition reflected in the Apostles’ Creed.
- Organizers reserve the right to re-categorize entries.
- *New* Each writing piece may only be entered into two (2) categories maximum.
- The Word Guild reserves the right to decline entries
CLARIFICATION ON CO-AUTHORED BOOKS
- Canadian authors may submit co-authored books as long as 50% of the book is written by Canadian authors.
- If a book is co-authored that does not meet the 50% total Canadian authorship percentage, the Canadian author may submit their contribution(s) in the short piece section.
PRIZES
LESLIE K. TARR – LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Selected Annually by The Word Guild Board.
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, $500 Cash Award
1. PUBLISHED WORK CLASS PRIZES
BEST BOOK COVER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award
BEST BLOG OF THE YEAR AWARD
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award
BOOK ENTRIES
REGULAR CLASS CATEGORIES
Certificate, Promotion Opportunities
GRAND PRIZE – “BOOK OF THE YEAR”
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award
DEBRA FIEGUTH – SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD CONTEST WINNER
Winner Selected From Books & Article/Short Pieces
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award of $200 CAD
ARTICLES, SHORT PIECES & SCRIPTS
REGULAR CLASS CATEGORIES
Certificate, Promotion Opportunities
HARVEY/MACKEY JOURNALIST AWARD WINNER
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award of $250 CAD
SONGWRITING CONTEST WINNER
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Cash Award
2. UNPUBLISHED WORK CLASS PRIZES
FRESH INK WINNER
Certificate, Cash Award of $50 CAD
FRESH INK RUNNER-UP
Certificate
IN THE BEGINNING WINNER
Certificate, Soon-to-be Listed
IN THE BEGINNING RUNNER-UP
Certificate
CASTLE QUAY BEST NEW CANADIAN MANUSCRIPT
Certificate, Specially Designed Glass Award, Publishing Contract with Castle Quay Books
Note: There is one prize per Class Category
Ready to Submit? Click Here >
2022 ENTRY FEES THE SAME AS 2021!
Enjoy MEMBER RATES if you join or renew before entering.
PUBLISHED WORK CLASSES
Articles/Short Pieces
Members: $30 CAD + HST (per short piece and/or category entered)
Non Members: $45 CAD + HST (per short piece and/or category entered)
Books
Members: $55 CAD + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Non Members: $70 + HST (per title and/or category entered)
UNPUBLISHED WORK CLASSES
Castle Quay Best New Canadian Manuscript
Members: $60 CAD + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Non Members: $75 + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Fresh Ink
Members: $10 CAD + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Non Members: $20 + HST (per title and/or category entered)
In The Beginning
Short Story, Non-Fiction Piece or Poetry
Members: $25 CAD + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Non Members: $35 + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Manuscript 1st Three Chapters, Script
Members: $35 CAD + HST (per title and/or category entered)
Non Members: $50 + HST (per title and/or category entered)
PAYMENT DETAILS:
Entry fees will be paid online via credit card or PayPal through PayPal. Note: You do NOT need a PayPal account. Alternately, you can pay by Etransfer, cheque.
If an entrant must withdraw from the contest for any reason, they must forfeit their entry fee.
Ready to Submit? Click Here >
JUDGING
- The award-winning entry in each category must have a score of 80% or above.
- Entries must meet pre-determined criteria in order to be shortlisted. If the judges deem none of the entries in a particular category meet the criteria, no award will be given and no entry fees will be refunded.
- All qualified entries will be evaluated by judges who are industry leaders.
- Entries are judged based on criteria specific to that category.
- It is your responsibility to choose the correct category. We reserve the right to re-categorize. No entry fee will be refunded if a judge deems it to be in the wrong category.
- Entered material will not be returned and becomes the property of The Word Guild. The Word Guild is not responsible for the loss, damage, or return of any item submitted to the competition.
- Book Entrants are automatically entered into the Cowlick Studios Best Book Cover Award and the Best New Canadian Author Award.
- There are no refunds and books will not be returned.
THE FINE PRINT
- The Word Guild will accept books with an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) that have been published through a variety of methods, including POD (print-on-demand) services. To be accepted in this contest, the submitted hard copy of the book must meet standards of cover design, interior design, and binding. The Word Guild reserves the right to decline entries that do not meet adequate standards of professionalism.
- The Word Guild communicates information and instructions during the time period leading up to the Awards Gala via electronic newsletter mailings. If you unsubscribe to this mailing, you will not find out if you are a shortlisted finalist or winner.
- All judges will look for an underlying expression of the writer’s Christian worldview informing and influencing the writing. The entry should not contain undue profanity, graphic sex, or other objectionable material (for all submissions), and must otherwise conform to generally accepted standards of the CBA (for Christian category submissions) as determined by The Word Guild. Judges may request submissions not meeting this requirement be disqualified.
- The judges’ comments are not reviews and may not be used as endorsements of the work and under no circumstances should comment given by a judge be used for publicity purposes
- Judges’ decisions are final. Although The Word Guild requests that judges approach their task with an objective attitude, there is an inevitable degree of subjectivity involved in judging writing. If you enter more than one category please note that the judges may vary in their opinions of your work and the marks and comments may reflect this discrepancy. The Word Guild is not responsible for any comments or decisions made by any judge.
- The Word Guild shall have the permanent right to use and exploit, in any and all media, all radio, television, merchandising, promotional and publicity rights that publisher and author may have in connection with their participation in The Word Awards competition without further consent or payment. Publisher and writer also release any claim they might have either by virtue of their participation in The Word Awards for use of their respective photographs, names, likenesses, voice, or by appearances in connection with The Word Awards. Both publisher and writer consent to the permanent right of The Word Guild Award to publish or broadcast the content of The Word Awards Gala.
- Disclaimer: The views expressed in the entries do not necessarily reflect the views of The Word Guild, the Board of Directors, or staff.
- Amendments to Official Rules: Any amendments to the Official Rules will become binding upon all entrants at the time they are posted to the Contest Website. Entrants are advised to regularly check the Contest Website for updates, notices, and revisions to the Official Rules during the Contest Period.
Ready to Submit? Click Here >
If you have any questions, or if you have not received an email confirmation for the receipt of your entry, please email the Awards Coordinator at awards [at] thewordguild.com.