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ADG:
ACHIEVE-THE-DREAM™
Children's Story Writing Contest
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does the contest work, and what can I win?
A. The American Dream Group™ sponsors the ACHIEVE-THE-DREAM™
Children’s Writing Contest to encourage new writers to achieve their
dream of being published. By sponsoring writing contests that will run
throughout 2006 and 2007, we look forward to helping new writers get their
work published. As we evaluate submissions from the contest, those entries
that exhibit the most outstanding story line, unique perspective or artistic
vision are chosen to receive the $500 prize that The American Dream Group™
offers. In the event of a tie, we might choose to award an additional
prize.
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Q. If I submit a manuscript and it is not accepted or utilized in any
way, do I still retain the full rights and may I submit the story elsewhere?
A. If you submit your manuscript, and it does not win, you retain
full rights to your story and you are encouraged to submit your story
somewhere else.
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Q. What about copyright? Am I giving up my copyright or other rights
by signing the release in your application form?
A. No. The only rights you are giving us regarding the manuscript
are the rights to read it and retain it. Commercial use of your manuscript
in the future will only be made if you win the Contest, are offered an
Award, accept the Award and then sign your written approval of a separate
Publishing Contract. No commercial use will ever be made without your
approval.
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Q. If I win, and receive an Award Offer, am I obligated to accept it?
A. You are in no way obligated to accept the Award Offer, but are
welcome to do so.
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Q. If my manuscript is not chosen as the winner, do you have any intention
of using it in the future for any other purpose?
A. Whether your story wins or not, we may decide to contact you in
the future for your permission to use your entry in one of the upcoming
ACHIEVE-THE-DREAM™ book series. We realize you might find a publisher
for your story before we contact you and if this is the case, we wish
you the best of luck. If we decide to contact you in the future, we would
include an agreement that would stipulate the details of a one-time fee
for a one-time use of your contest entry similar to the way “Chicken
Soup for the Soul™” pays writers a flat fee for the use of the
stories it publishes in their books. As with all of our contests, you
would have the choice to accept or decline the conditions of the contract.
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Q. I saw your rule about including a cover page. Why do I need a cover
page? Does that mean I should NOT include that information on the contest
entry itself?
A. This rule was created to insure that the contest judges rate the
manuscript solely on its merit, without reference to the writer's name,
age, gender or where the writer is from. Please do not include personal
information on the contest entry. It is acceptable, but not necessary,
to include the story title and/or page numbers on the entry itself.
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Q. Are my rights affected by this rule?
A. Not at all. Every manuscript is marked with a number immediately
upon receipt. Your Contest Application is preserved in a logbook, with
the number clearly stamped on it. Winning entries are later matched up
and all winners are notified up to thirty days following the contest deadline.
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Q. I live outside the United States. May I still enter the Contest?
A. Yes, as long as your manuscript was written originally in the English
language. Your entry will be judged by the Entry Number, as stated above,
without reference to your residence.
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Q. Must you be a certain age to enter this contest?
A. Everyone is welcome to enter the Children's Story Writing Contest.
However, our KidSPEAK! series of contests are specifically geared for
authors, poets, photographers and illustrators between the ages of 5 and
15 years old. Check back at our main contest page to see what contests
are currently running that are specifically designed for youth.
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Q. Why does this contest charge an entry fee?
A. Most Entry Fees are necessary, among other things, to pay the individuals
hired to read the manuscripts. The ADG: ACHIEVE-THE-DREAM™ Children’s
Writing Contest does not pay for judges or for readers. We do, however,
offer the winner assistance in getting published and are taking on the
expenses of self-publishing if traditional methods do not work. We are
charging this fee then, so that we can afford to self-publish our winning
author's story, if necessary, without the winning author having to pay
any out-of-pocket expenses. We have currently self-published one story,
are working on two others, and if our latest story does not get picked
up by a publisher, we will more than likely self-publish it as well.
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Q. May I submit a manuscript about a true story?
A. Yes, as long as your work does not infringe on the rights of private
individuals, and is not based on another person's written work; however,
releases from individuals concerned may also later be necessary if a manuscript
upon a true story is to be published.
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Q. May I enter other Contests at the same time as this one?
A. Yes, providing you have not have entered into any prior option
or sale agreement with respect to the submitted work, and do not do so
before Contest deadline date.
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Q. How is my manuscript rated?
A. Each manuscript will be read and rated by at least four judges.
Manuscripts will be evaluated based upon unique storyline, quality, character,
perspective, vision and excellent writing. Based on those criteria, some
manuscripts will be read a second time and manuscripts that qualify will
be read by the entire judging panel, whose joint decision will be final.
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Q. If my story does not win the first time, may I enter the same story
in another ADG contest?
A. No. Once you have submitted a story for any ADG contest, the same
story is not eligible to be resubmitted within a one year period. After
365 days, the story would be eligible to be submitted in a ADG contest
once again.
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Further information about the contest may be found on this site. Additional
requests for information may be sent by email to: contests@achieve-the-dream.net
Or by writing to us, with enclosed S.A.S.E. at:
ADG: ACHIEVE-THE-DREAM
Children's Story Writing Contest
P.O. Box 1137
Moon Township, PA 15108
"Never stop. One stops as
soon as something is about to happen."
---Peter Brock
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