Rules for the 2018/2019 Gama❤Phile Writers' Competition

Competition Details

Organizer: Gama❤Phile
Deadline for entries: 04 March 2019 (Deadline Extended)
Call for submissions: from 23 November 2018 to 04 March 2019
Social Media Promotion & Public Voting: 04 March 2019 – 31 March 2019
Panel Assessments: from 06 April to 31 May 2019
Text: A 500-word synopsis together with three chapters of your work
Entry types: Fiction targeted at adults – novels or collections of short stories only
Language: English
Format: One pdf document
Submission: Submission must be done online on the competition page of the Gama❤Phile website
Number of entries person: Only one entry is permitted per entrant
Competition Rules
  1. The competition is open to African writers, defined as those who were born in Africa and those who are citizens or residents of an African country.
  2. Entrants need to be 18 years of age or older.
  3. The competition is open to African writers who have not yet been published or have less than two formal publications.
  4. Non-fiction entries and fictional entries that do not confirm to the specified entry type will be disqualified during qualification rounds.
  5. Only texts written in English are accepted.
  6. Three chapters and a 500-word synopsis of your novel or short story collection must be submitted (not more not less).
  7. The panel of judges will call for the full script when assessing entries that make it to the final round.
  8. The work submitted may not have been previously published or have won previous awards.
  9. Entries that promote or celebrate racism, sexism, homophobia, gratuitous violence and other forms hate and discrimination will be disqualified once identified. Key Note: This does not mean that you cannot include these topics as part of your story as long as inclusion contributes to the storyline, however there is a risk of disqualification if it seems that the purpose of inclusion serves to promote or celebrate unfair discrimination or hate.
  10. All entries must be submitted on the competition page on www.gamaphile.co.za.
  11. The prize organisers reserve the right not to award any one of and/or all of the prizes if, in the judges’ opinion, such an action is justified. In addition, the prize organisers reserve the right to award alternative prizes if, in the judges’ opinion, such an action is justified.
  12. The judges’ decision is final and they will not enter into any correspondence with entrants regarding their decision.
  13. Texts must be the original work of the entrant and any disputes in relation to copyright will be the responsibility of the entrant at the entrant’s full cost.
  14. Text should be double spaced. There is no stipulation regarding font type and colour. Entrants are requested to use font size 12.
  15. A word count needs to be added for both the text and the synopsis.
  16. The text and the synopsis must be submitted in a single PDF attachment with a cover page that contains the entrants name, nationality, age, full address including country of permanent residence, email address, mobile number and table of contents.
  17. Copyright for the work submitted remains at all times with the author and never transfers to Gama❤Phile.
  18. By entering the competition, the entrant gives Gama❤Phile permission to post his or her submission on the Gama❤Phile platform for a period of at least six months; to make the story accessible to Gama❤Phile platform users to read, review, rate and share on social media platforms; to share the submission and, at their discretion, to promote it on social media and speak about the story on various media platforms.
  19. By entering the competition, the entrant accepts that the selection process will involve public voting, “leveraging the crowd” as well as assessment by an esteemed panel of judges.
  20. Shortlisted entrants must respond to email communications promptly as failure to comply to requirements and timelines may lead to disqualification. Shortlisted candidates may be required to provide summary biographies and photographs. Should the need arise, they must make themselves available for media interviews in person, if practically feasible, online or telephonically.
  21. The terms and conditions relating to publication, should the winning entry proceed to publication, will be discussed and agreed on separately with Pan Macmillan South Africa.
  22. The name of the winner will be announced at the Gama❤Phile platform launch event to be held in Johannesburg in June 2019.
  23. Winner details will be published on the Gama❤Phile website, social media channels, partner websites as well as any other media publication that will participate and/or cover the competition details, competition results and launch event.
  24. The winner and other invited participants, for example, the Gama❤Phile Writers’ Competition Top 10, are responsible for the costs of travelling to the launch event.
  25. The Writers’ and Readers’ Weekend Getaway prizes include accommodation, meals, a game drive and a spa visit. They do not include expenses for traveling to Pilanesberg nor spending money for the trip;
  26. Should the winner be non-South African, the cost of international money transfer will be deducted from the prize money; and
  27. Gama❤Phile may amend, update and/or clarify these rules should the need arise.