SHORT-STORY CONTEST

Please read and understand the contest rules and guidelines before signing up for an event. If you have any questions, send us a message through our  contact page.

Our mission at the We Speak Up short-story writing contest is to provide a platform for young Canadians in grades kindergarten to 12 to showcase their writing talents and gain entry into the challenging and competitive world of publishing. Our goal is to foster a strong book industry in Canada by promoting and supporting the work of young authors. By inspiring and supporting young people to pursue writing and literature, we hope to create a positive impact on the young writing community in Canada.

We organize up to six competitive contests each year, providing multiple chances for young Canadians to participate and showcase their writing talents. The entry fee is $5 CAD plus, for an additional $5 CAD, each entrant may also submit an illustration. We also encourage those who are unable to pay the contest fee at this time to still submit an entry. We guarantee that approximately 25% of entries (depending on the contest, age, and grade of the participant) will be published. Our aim is to give all contestants an equal opportunity to be published and to showcase their work to their peers. Upon publication, contestants may have the opportunity to purchase the book from our online store.

At We Speak Up, we strongly believe that every young Canadian should have the opportunity to achieve and share their work. By providing a platform for young authors to publish and market their writing, we hope to inspire and support the next generation of writers in Canada.

    SECTION I
    General Rules

SECTION II
Qualifications for Contestants

SECTION III
Contest Rules

    To ensure the integrity of the contest, we have a strict plagiarism policy in place. Any work found to be plagiarized, in whole or in part, will be disqualified. All entries must be original and will be checked for plagiarism. 

    Please visit our PLAGIARISM and FAQs page to properly understand what plagiarism is and how to properly cite anything borrowed.

    Additionally, entries must be original and not have been previously published or submitted to other contests or publishers for consideration. Any online postings of the work should be removed prior to submission to our contest.

Please adhere to the following instructions:

  • Students may submit one entry to each contest (one poem AND one story).
  • Poems must be 32 lines or less.
  • Short stories must be 450 words or less.
  • Each submission should include a title
  • At this time, entries will only be accepted in English or French Canadian.

All submissions are accepted through our online application form.

  • Type each entry on an 8.5" x 11" document (letter size)
  • Use black ink, 12-pt Times New Roman (or another plain font) 
  • Double spaced
  • No graphics
  • The submission must original, unpublished and not be in consideration elsewhere
  • Peer editing is allowed, however parents/teachers/older siblings should not make corrections other than spelling and grammar. 
  • All accepted entries will be copyedited prior to publication.
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