Hares & Hatters Bookshop

Pocatello Teens First Chapter Contest 2025

 

Make sure to read the complete rules and instructions. 

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1. What You Should Know: The first chapter contest is for teen writers in 9th-12th grades who live in the Pocatello area who are enrolled students. They must be in good standing with their high schools.

2. There is no cost to participate.

3. What You Get: A critique of your writing from a judge who is a qualified industry professional committed to helping teen writers develop their skills and improve their writing. In each category there will be a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place winner which will be announced at the Pocatello Teens First Chapter Contest read-in. One overall winner will win a consultation on up to 80,000 words in a 45 minute consultation with professional editor Megan Clements, author of PLOT YOUR NOVEL. Placing entries in each category will be invited to read a short selection of their work at a read-in. Non-placing entries will be emailed their critiques within two weeks of the read-in date.  

4. When To Submit Your Entry: Submissions will be accepted April 1st - April 13th 2025. Submissions before or after the accepted timeline will not be considered. 

5. How You Submit:  A Google form, found at the bottom of this page, with your first chapter file attached. Chapters must be 3,000 words or fewer (cover pages and nonfiction footnotes/endnotes do not count toward word count). Detailed instructions and examples can be found farther below on this page. Please make sure to read everything!

6. Limitations: There is a limit of 1 total entry per teen author.

 

ELIGIBILITY

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Entrants must be a registered high school student in 9th-12th grade attending school in the Pocatello area. Entrants must be in good standing with their high school without issues in attendance or failing grades. Co-authored entries are not permitted. All entries must be the original work of the author (quotes are allowable if sources are included and count towards the overall word-count). Any use of AI/Chat GPT for any portion of the piece will make the author ineligible for this or any future Hares & Hatters Bookshop Writing Contest. 

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Not Eligible:

• Previously submitted pieces. Defined as any author who has signed a publishing contract with a publishing house by the contest deadline (exceptions: short stories, compilations, or magazine articles). This includes ghostwriters. Posting your work online does not classify you as published.

• Work created using AI/Chat GPT. The purpose of this contest is to recognize the original work of teen authors. Any use of AI or Chat GPT will make the author ineligible for this or any future Hares & Hatters Bookshop Writing Contest or event. 

• Graduated authors who are no longer in high school.

• Submissions from outside of the Pocatello area are not being considered at this time. 

• Traditionally published authors, agented authors, or self-published authors. 

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Authors who wish to enter but aren’t sure they qualify due to unusual circumstances can email us with detailed information. The Hares & Hatters team may allow entry for rare exceptions.

 

SUBMISSIONS

The four categories for this first chapter are:

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1. General Fiction

2. Sci-Fi/Dystopian

3. Fantasy

4. Nonfiction/Poetry  

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First chapters will be submitted through the Google form that can be accessed from the Submit Here button below. You will answer questions regarding contact information and then select which category you are entering. There is a space to upload your first chapter into the form before submitting the Google form. If you have any specific questions about your submission, please email haresandhattersbookshop@gmail.com; include Teen First Chapter Contest in the subject line. 

 

PROPER COVER PAGE FORMAT

You will not lose points for spacing or alignment variations.

To earn full points, your cover page must include:

• Title

• Name

• Email address

• Category Name

• Word Count (must be below 3,000)

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​Example of the cover page is below.​​

 

​PROPER INTERNAL FORMAT

To earn full points for proper formatting, your entry must have:

• 12 point, black, Times New Roman font

• 1-inch margins, double-spaced lines (with no extra space between paragraphs), and indented paragraphs

• Page numbers in top right header.

Please make sure there are NO tracked changes or comments remaining in your document.

 

SCORING

Your entry will lose points (but will not be disqualified) if not submitted correctly.

 

CONTENT & PROSE SCORING

The majority of your score comes from your content and prose, rated on a scale of 1-10 in the following categories:

• Set-up/hook

• Characterization

• Setting/mood

• Storytelling

• Grammar/punctuation

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Judges also have the option to give additional notes on the chapter overall should some aspect of the writing not fall neatly within these categories. Awards are at the discretion of Hares & Hatters Bookshop based upon judges’ scores. Overt language, sex, and violence are not a good fit for this contest. 

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DISQUALIFICATION

The following entries will be disqualified:

1. Chapters that exceed the word count limit of 3,000 words. You may submit an abridged version or cut off at the 3,000-word mark based on your preference.

2. Chapters that are not the original work of the author submitting it. Work generated from AI/Chat GPT will be disqualified. 

 

Disqualified entries are not eligible to place in the contest, and they will not receive judges' feedback. 

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A category with fewer than ten (10) entries may be combined with another category with the same audience. 

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If you have any specific questions about your submission, please email haresandhattersbookshop@gmail.com; include Teen First Chapter Contest in the subject line.