Getting Started
Participant Guide
Everything you need to know to create an account, log in, and compete — from start to finish.
Step 1
Create an Account
- 1.Click "Sign In" in the navigation bar at the top of any page.
- 2.Select "Create a new account" and enter your email address and a secure password.
- 3.Choose a display name for your account. A display name is required — accounts without one will be denied from creation until a name is entered. Your display name must also be distinct from your email address; names that are identical or closely similar to your email will not be accepted.
- 4.Verify your email address by clicking the link sent to your inbox.
- 5.Your account is ready. You may use it for all future competitions.
Step 2
Log In & Join a Competition
- 1.Visit the Competition page to view the current active season and its prompt.
- 2.No application is required — simply being logged in is sufficient to participate.
- 3.Read the prompt carefully and familiarise yourself with the grading rubric on the About page.
- 4.You may begin writing immediately. The submission window lasts 40 days.
Step 3
Prepare Your Submission
- 1.Write your creative response to the prompt. There is no minimum or maximum word count stated, but length should serve the work.
- 2.Format your document as a Microsoft Word file (.docx) or PDF (.pdf). No other formats are accepted. Maximum file size is 20MB.
- 3.Ensure your document contains only your original work. AI-generated content and plagiarism are strictly prohibited and will be automatically scanned and manually reviewed.
- 4.Do not embed any executable code, scripts, macros, or malicious content in your file. Uploading files containing malware or viruses is a bannable offence.
- 5.Give your document a clear, descriptive file name.
Step 4
Upload Your Submission
- 1.Navigate to the Submit page (accessible while logged in during an active competition).
- 2.Upload your file using the file upload button. Only one file may be uploaded per submission.
- 3.Your first submission may be uploaded at any time before the deadline.
- 4.You may resubmit once every 24 hours. Each resubmission permanently deletes your previous file — only your most recent upload will be graded.
- 5.All files are automatically scanned for malware, viruses, AI-generated content, and plagiarism upon upload.
Step 5
Integrity Review Process
- 1.Once the submission deadline passes, a co-host will manually review every submission for signs of AI-generated content or plagiarism.
- 2.This manual review must be completed in full before judges are granted access to any submission.
- 3.Any submission flagged during this review will be clearly marked, and the assigned judge will be notified of the concern before grading.
- 4.Submissions that are clearly in violation may be disqualified at this stage without proceeding to judging.
Step 6
After the Submission Deadline
- 1.Once the co-host integrity review is complete, submissions are passed to human judges.
- 2.The judging period may take several weeks depending on the volume of submissions.
- 3.You will receive a private feedback document containing your score breakdown and written commentary from the judges.
- 4.Access your feedback at any time from your Profile page.