How to Prepare for a Screenwriting Contest: What to Check Before You Submit

Screenwriting contests are one of the main ways to put your story in front of a jury. But every contest has its own rules, and even a great story can be eliminated before anyone reads it if it breaks the guidelines. This post lays out a preparation sequence that works for any contest. Dates and conditions can change from year to year, so always confirm the specifics in the official call for entries of the contest you are entering.

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1. Read the call for entries from start to finish

Before you write a single word, read the call for entries. These are the items each contest typically defines in its own way:

• Category — which forms are accepted: feature film, short film, TV drama, web drama, animation, and so on
• Length — minimum and maximum page count, or expected running time
• Submission format — file type (PDF, Hangul (HWP) file, etc.), font, margins, and whether a cover page is required
• Submission period — the deadline date and time
• Eligibility — whether only unpublished work is accepted, whether simultaneous submissions are allowed, and whether there is a limit on the number of entries
• Copyright — who holds the rights to the winning work
• Judging criteria — what the jury values most

Going over the length limit or ignoring the required format can cost you points or get you disqualified, regardless of how good the story is. Turn the items above into a checklist and you won't be scrambling at the last minute.

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2. Choose a concept you can explain in one line

Judges read a lot of scripts in a short time, so it matters whether your concept comes across in a single sentence. Before you start writing, try writing your logline in one line. If one sentence can't capture who your protagonist is, what they want, and what stands in their way, the concept still needs work.

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3. Build a structure that fits the length

For the story to wrap up within the set length, the structure has to come first. For a feature, map out the overall flow with the three-act structure; for a short, it's safer to focus on one event and one change. If you're stuck for a short film premise, take a look at our post on short film ideas.

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4. Follow both the call for entries and screenplay conventions

If the call for entries specifies a format, that takes priority. If it doesn't, the baseline is to write scene headings, action, and dialogue consistently. For details, see screenplay format and how to write scene headings. Inconsistent formatting breaks the reader's focus before they even get into the story.

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5. Give your rewrite some time

Don't start revising the day you finish the first draft; set it aside for a few days, then read it again. When you revise, this order works well:

• Read it aloud to catch awkward dialogue
• Cut scenes the story doesn't need
• Check that every scene moves the story forward
• Check spelling, character names, and scene order last

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6. Pre-submission checklist

• Does it fit within the length set in the call for entries?
• Did you follow the required file format and file naming rules?
• Did you include every required document, such as the cover page, statement of intent, character descriptions, and synopsis?
• If judging is blind, did you remove your name from the script?
• Is the work unpublished elsewhere and not submitted to another contest at the same time?
• Have you read the copyright terms, and can you agree to them?

Right before the deadline, a rush of entries can slow the site down or make file uploads fail. Aim to finish your submission a day or two before the deadline.

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If you don't win

Not winning doesn't mean your script is finished. But before entering it in another contest, first check that contest's rules on unpublished work and simultaneous submissions. Once you get the results, reread your script and note what you want to fix. Those notes become the starting point for your next script.

If you want to see the whole path to becoming a writer, also read how to become a screenwriter.