WRITER'S GAMES 2024
Not your ordinary writing competition.
The Writer's Games is a free competition designed to help each individual writer improve his or her craft fast. ​Every accepted entry receives honest, unbiased feedback from several judges.
Writer's Games returns in 2024!
Check this year's changes
Join us on Discord
Read the Rules
2024 Important Dates:
April 1 — early registration (earned access only)
April 19 & 26 — Mock Events 1 & 2
May 1 — OPEN REGISTRATION
June 14 — Practice Event
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Theresa is available via email and Discord to answer your questions. Registration is required for participation; registration opens May 1.
Sign up for emailed Event announcements here.
Find submissions and formatting information below.
Read the Writer's Games Origin Story on the blog
2024 Events & Winners
The top five places in each Event will be featured in
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Honorable mention entries will not be published
but author names will be included in the anthology.
Event 1: TBA
June 21
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Fourth Place
Fifth Place
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Honorable mentions:
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Event 2: TBA
June 28
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Fourth Place
Fifth Place
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Honorable mentions:
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CHILDREN'S STORY
Core Concepts:
description, tropes
A child's imagination is a powerful tool. For this Event, access your inner child and write a story for children that targets the specified age group.
Chapbooks; children aged 6-9
Anyone may submit a single entry up to 4,000 words by Dropbox or email before 12am on the cusp of Tuesday, UTC.
Title Information must include your email address if you want feedback. Please see the submissions guidelines below.
In honor of our tenth year, we're looking back to our first ever Games in 2014 for this year's Mock Events.
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We reject religious, political, and erotic themes. Fanfiction and AI-copied content are not accepted.
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All participants must be registered.
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Please thank and follow our sponsors on X!
Premier Literary Services: @kuzitiz
Reedsy: @ReedsyHQ
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Opt IN for emailed Event announcements.
Opting in adds you to the Writer's Games mailing list only;
it does not secure registration.
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Event 3: TBA
July 5
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Fourth Place
Fifth Place
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Honorable mentions:
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Event 4: TBA
July 12
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Fourth Place
Fifth Place
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Honorable mentions:
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Event 5: TBA
July 19
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Fourth Place
Fifth Place
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Honorable mentions:
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What people say about Writer's Games:
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Submissions & Formatting
All entries must follow these submissions guidelines. During Games, we deduct points for incorrect formatting because many publications reject incorrectly formatted submissions without informing you.
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All Practice Event entries receive formatting notes to help you keep your points during scored Events.
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Arial or Times New Roman, size 10 or 12pt, black
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Single spaced
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1" empty margins on all four sides
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0.5" (12.7mm) or Tab indentations for all paragraphs
Please do not use the spacebar to indent
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Empty line for scene breaks
Entries must include the proper Title Information at the start of the document, aligned left. Please do not add your Title Info to the header margin.
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Name or Pseudonym
Title of Entry
Event Name
Word Count
Entries without these four lines in this order in your document will be disqualified from the Event but the writer is still eligible to compete and win. Learn more about what this means on the Games FAQ. Please note the email address is not required for Writer's Games entries.
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Accepted file types: .doc, .docx, .odt
Live, unlocked Google Docs or Microsoft Word links are accepted via email (submissions [at] writersworkout.net). Set your document permissions to "anyone with the link can [comment or edit]" so we can collect it. We will not request access and we are not responsible for locked docs.
Email entries to submissions [at] writersworkout.net
OR use our DropBox.
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The Writer's Workout is a global charity working to improve literacy through creative writing. We hold competitions, workshops, open calls, and discussions; provide motivation, tips, prompts, and giveaways; and offer a community rich in culture and skill. Check our donations page to learn more about how The Writer's Workout strengthens the writing community.
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Learn what it takes to produce one portion of The Writer's Games.
The Writer's Workout is a registered
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
run by volunteers.
The idea for The Writer's Games (originally dubbed the NaNoGames) came from Heather Glomb. The first Games took place in May, 2014, with a goal to "just write". When the contest finished, writers wanted a stronger challenge and this organization was born.
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Read about the first Games here.