Announcing the 2018 Fiction Contest for writers in grades 7-12

This year's theme is MISSION: San Antonio. 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story set in San Antonio.

In 2018 San Antonio will celebrate its 300th birthday. To commemorate this Tricentennial celebration, our 2018 Fiction Contest theme is "MISSION: San Antonio." Pick a place that exists only in San Antonio and write a story of action, mystery, lessons learned, history—it's up to you! It can be an iconic place, like the city's missions or river, or it can be a special place in your neighborhood. You could talk to your relatives about family history and/or experiences in San Antonio. 

For any young, creative writer, the SABF Fiction Contest is a great way to put your imagination to use, meet famous authors, win great prizes for yourself and your school, get your writing published, ride on an official Texas Cavaliers Fiesta float, and be part of the San Antonio Book Festival on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Central Library and Southwest School of Art.

Submissions are now being accepted. There’s no entry fee.

The SABF Fiction Contest is sponsored by the Texas Cavaliers.

Contest Rules and Guidelines

1. Submit a piece of original fiction on the theme of “MISSION: San Antonio."
2. Submissions must be 750-1,500 words, 12-point type, and double-spaced.
   
3. Submissions are judged blindly. DO NOT include any identifying information on your submission. Before submitting, you will be asked to fill out a form with your name, grade level, school, entry title, English teacher’s name, and word count. Your submission document should only contain your story's title. 
   
4. Judges will look for excellence in use of dialogue, imagery, character development, setting, plot, conflict, grammar, and resolution. Submissions that have not been properly proofread or finished will not be accepted.
   
5. Contestants must be residents of Bexar County.
   
6. Winners receive their awards at a presentation at the 6th annual San Antonio Book Festival on April 7, 2018.
7. Submit stories before 11:59 pm on Monday, January 15, 2018. 
   

Individual prizes awarded in three divisions: 7-8th grade, 9-10th grade and 11-12th grade

• 1st place $500
• 2nd place $250
  
• 3rd place $150
  

First place winners also receive $500 for their schools.

To see last year’s contest winners, read their essays and get more information about how you can participate in the Book Festival visit: saplf.org/festival.

Questions regarding submitting? Email jamie.niland@saplf.org.