FAQ
Can I rework a course paper for this contest?
Yes, you may submit unpublished coursework. Make sure your submission is aligned to the stated purpose of this contest.
Can I submit work I’ve published elsewhere?
No. Previously published work—work that has been shared publicly, through outlets such as newspapers, journals, or other writing contests—is not admissible.
Can I submit work I've co-written with someone else?
No. Your entry must be your own original work.
Can my entry include graphs, illustrations, or other embedded media?
One (1) photograph, visualization, illustration, or graph per entry is admissible. Include one only if you feel it significantly enhances your piece. This is a writing contest.
Who is eligible to enter?
Current Harvard students (undergraduate and graduate inclusive) AND off-cycle students who graduated in December 2022.
How do I submit my entry?
See “Requirements” under “The Contest.”
How will entries be judged?
Depending on the number of submissions, your entry will be judged by two or three of our faculty judges. You will be evaluated on the excellence of your writing in response to the prompt. Entries will be judged blind.
Can I speak with the judges about my work?
Do not contact the judges with contest queries.
How and when will I find out if I've won?
All entrants will be notified by email of their status—prize or not—by May 1.
Is there an awards ceremony?
Yes, the date and location of this event are still pending!
By submitting, do I retain the literary rights to my work?
Yes. However, you cede those rights to the University if you do not publish your work in the next five years. Please be informed of the following University policy:
“When . . . a manuscript is successful in a prize competition, it shall become the physical property of the University, and it may be lent, or its use restricted, in any way the Director of the University Library sees fit.”
“The literary rights, including those of publication, copying extracts, or closely paraphrasing from the manuscript, shall remain the property of the author, except that the University shall have the right to make available to the public and copyright any unpublished . . . prize paper at any time after the expiration of five years from the time it was accepted. Every reader using one of these manuscripts shall be required to sign a printed acknowledgement of the fact that all literary rights are so reserved.”
What if my name appears in my piece?
Submit two versions of your entry: scrubbed and unscrubbed. The scrubbed version should replace your name with a pseudonym. The unscrubbed version may contain your full name, and, if prizeworthy, will be the one shared in our winning anthology. Add the suffixes "_scrubbed" and "_unscrubbed" to your file names to distinguish between the versions.
Will winning work be published?
Yes. Winning entries will be published in an anthology (both online and hard copy).
My question is not answered here…
Email writingfortheclimate@gmail.com with all other queries.