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How Does WordHustler Handle Contests?

WordHustler helps you streamline the process by taking care of all of your tracking, printing, binding, postage, and office-supply needs.

Contests are one of the best ways to get your work out there and recognized. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most “specialized” markets as well. There are more than 1,000 contests in our database and vast majority of them require at least one of the following:

  • Specialized entry forms
  • Release/Legal forms
  • 3×5 cards with your name and other identifying information on them
  • Special cover stock
  • Multiple copies of your work

If you plan to submit to more than one contest, the mountain of paperwork you’ll have to confront to do so is more than formidable, it’s downright demoralizing. When we started WordHustler, we asked ourselves, ”How can we build an easy-to-use service that solves these problems, once and for all?”   That’s a very good question.  It’s a good thing we’re smart.

How We Handle Regular Submissions

For most markets, the WordHustler submission process is simple. You:

  1. Upload your project
  2. Target markets
  3. Click “Send Now” and pay for your submission
  4. Update the status in your dashboard. (Or if using VirtualOffice, we do it for you)

We then:

  1. Receive your submission
  2. Prepare it with the utmost care, making sure to include SASEs or for example, we’ll even enclose your manuscript in cover stock, if the market requires it.
  3. Send it promptly to the market you’ve indicated in your order. If using VirtualOffice, we update your status automatically

This process applies to submissions to agents, publications, and contests that do not require an entry form. If a market has an entry form, we handle things a little differently.

How We Handle Contests with Entry Forms

If you’d like to submit your work to a contest that has an entry form, WordHustler helps you streamline the process by taking care of all of your tracking, printing, binding, postage, and office-supply needs. But sometimes contests require information that a) can’t be anticipated by our computer systems or b) require a signature, authorizing the release of your work to a contest. (This is very common with screenplay contests where producers read winning entries.) Here’s how we handle contests that require entry forms. You:

  1. Upload your project
  2. Target and select markets
  3. Place the contest in your Queue and begin checking out
  4. WordHustler provides you with the entry form online. You then fill it out and type your electronic signature, all on our system. You won’t have to print anything out or do anything by hand.
  5. Pay for your submission. Note that many contests require entry fees. As part of our service to you, we automatically include contest fees with your total.

That’s it. Easy, right? We send the submission, the completed entry form, and the entry fee (cut on a WordHustler check) to the contest. The forms print out looking fantastic and your entry packet is already a winner!