Guidelines for the 2012 Award

THE DELL MAGAZINES AWARD
For Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing

Guidelines

The Dell Magazines Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing (formerly the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing) has been established by Asimov's science fiction magazine and the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts and is supported by the Humanities Institute at the University of South Florida and the School of Mass Communications at the University of South Florida.
The $500 award will go to the best unpublished and unsold science fiction or fantasy short story submitted by a full-time undergraduate college student. The winner will be invited to the IAFA annual Conference on the Fantastic in mid-March in Orlando, FL, and the winning story will be considered for publication in either Asimov's science fiction magazine or in the on-line version of the magazine.
In general, the winner of the Asimov award will be the story that best meets the expectations of the judges. Those stories typically are "character oriented"; i.e., the characters, rather than the science, provide the main focus for the reader's interest. Serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction will have the best chance of success.
Deadline for entries for this year's contest is Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The submission must be postmarked or sent as attachments by midnight, EST, on that date. The contest is open to all full-time undergraduates at accredited colleges and universities. The award is not limited to unpublished authors, but all submissions must be previously unpublished and unsold, and they should be from 1,000 to 10,000 words long. Writers may submit an unlimited number of stories, but each manuscript must include a cover sheet with the writer's name, address, phone number, and the name of the university the writer attends. Your name should not be on the manuscript itself after the cover sheet.
The judges reserve the right to double-check your university status. For this year's contest, you must have been a full-time undergraduate during the fall 2010; spring 2011; summer 2011; or fall 2011 semesters (or quarters) of your university or college.
Story submissions should have been written during your time as a student. However, if you attended college full-time during a qualifying semester and then graduated, went to part-time status or quit entirely for a time, you are still eligible.
The winner will be determined by the editors of Asimov's magazine and the award administrator.
There is a $5 entry fee per story.
You can submit your story electronically at www.dellaward.com and there is a PayPal option for the entry fee. If you like, you can also mail the story to the address below along with your submission fee or you can send the story as an attachment to RWilber@usf.edu and mail the entry fee separately.
You can also find us on Facebook by searching for the Dell Magazines Award or going to this site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dell-Magazines-Award/177319923776

IMPORTANT: There is a special class-project category. Any instructor may submit an unlimited number of stories from any one class for a flat rate of $15. The manuscripts must meet the general requirements of the award and should be put into one envelope along with a brief cover letter from the instructor listing the college or university and the name of the class. This offer is for any college class and not limited to creative-writing classes. The instructor should contact Dr. Rick Wilber at RWilber@usf.edu.

Manuscripts cannot be returned, but if you include a self-addressed stamped envelope, we will send you an announcement of the winner and runners-up.

Dell Magazines Award/CIS 3095
School of Mass Communications/USF
4202 E. Fowler
Tampa, Fla. 33620
If you have any questions, you can reach Dr. Wilber at this e-mail address: RWilber@usf.edu.

Stories by previous Dell Award winners are available at the Asimov’s Science Fiction homepage at: http://www.asimovs.com