The Terms and Conditions of DreamBuild Publishing Short Story Competition are outlined below:
The competition is organized by DreamBuild Publishing, operating under Exponential Leap
🏆 Prizes
- 1st Prize: R3,000
- 2nd Prize: R2,000
- 3rd Prize: R1,000
- Winning entries will also be considered for publication in an anthology of short stories.
✅ Eligibility
- Open to individuals aged 12 and above.
- Entrants under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign Terms and Conditions, attach with the entry and send to dreambuildbooks@gmail.com
- Entries must be original, unpublished, and not generated by AI.
✍️ Submission Requirements
- The story must centre on the theme of bullying and how it was overcome.
- Word count must be between 1,500 and 3,000 words.
- All entries must be submitted in English.
- Entrants must provide written consent for their story to be published if selected.
- Entries must be submitted in a readable format (e.g., .doc, .docx, or .pdf).
- Any names used in the story that correspond to real individuals must be changed to avoid identification.
📅 Deadlines and Extensions
- The competition deadline will be clearly stated on the website (https://www.dreambuild.co.za).
- DreamBuild Publishing reserves the right to extend the deadline if an insufficient number of entries is received.
📘 Publication Rights
- By entering, participants grant DreamBuild Publishing the exclusive right to publish their story in print and/or digital formats.
- Authors retain full copyright of their work. Participants who wish to protect their identity may publish their story under a pseudonym.
- If selected for publication, authors will be entitled to receive 1% of the net profits generated from the publication of the anthology.
- Payments will be made annually in December, commencing in December 2026.
⚖️ Judging and Results
- Entries will be judged by a panel selected by DreamBuild Publishing.
- Judging will be based on originality, storytelling, emotional impact, and adherence to theme.
- The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Results will be announced by 31 January 2026. Winners will be contacted via email.
📄 Acceptance of Terms
- Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.
- Failure to comply with any of the above may result in disqualification.