CONTEST RULES

ELIGIBILITY

• HumorPress.com contests are open to all skill levels. We accept English language entries from across America and, as a courtesy to humor writers living abroad, from beyond. All entry fees are due in U.S. funds.
• Your entry must be your own creative work and may not infringe on other copyrighted works. (Of course, satires/spoofs covered by the "fair use" principle are entirely welcome.)
• Entries should be 750 words or less. Excessive length may receive deductions during judging.
• You may enter as many times, in as many contests as you like, but each entry must be submitted separately, with a separate entry fee.
• Material previously published elsewhere is welcome, as long as it meets all other requirements. 
• Writing in "all caps" is only acceptable for occasional effect, but not for the entire entry.

ONLINE ENTRY FORM

• Entries must be submitted through the online entry form. Even if you decide to mail your entry fee, please submit your entry online so all entries can be handled consistently. No hard copy submissions accepted.

ENTRY FEE:

• Entry Fee is $10, payable in U.S. funds. 
• SECURE ONLINE PAYMENT: For your convenience, entry fee can be paid by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or PayPal Account at the time of contest entry through PayPal, one of the world's leading online secure payment systems. You don't even need a PayPal account to use this option. (A small online processing fee of .60 is added.)
• OR SEND A CERTIFIED CHECK, CASHIER'S CHECK OR MONEY ORDER (sorry, no personal or business checks) in the amount of $10 to: HumorPress.com, 1128 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Suite 102, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411. (Entry fee must arrive before entry period closes. Include your email address as stated on the entry form so fee can be applied correctly.)
• Entry fees are nonrefundable.

WINNERS, FINALISTS/SEMI-FINALISTS & HONORABLE MENTIONS

• The Contest will produce five cash prizes totaling $250.00.
• Cash prizes will be awarded as follows:
  • 1st Place Winner Receives $100.00
  • 2nd Place Winner Receives $70.00
  • 3rd Place Winner Receives $35.00
  • 4th Place Winner Receives $25.00
  • 5th Place Winner Receives $20.00
• Judging will be completed and prize money paid typically within three weeks after the close of the contest entry period.
• Cash prizes will be paid via PayPal, the world's leading secure online payment system, sent to the email address provided on your entry form.
• HumorPress.com may also select Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions, based strictly on merit.
• Award-winners will be notified by email within three weeks after the contest entry period closes.

ONLINE HUMOR SHOWCASE

• Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions will have their entries published in our online Humor Showcase, which also includes a Past Results section.
• Your name and state are considered part of your entry and will be published along with entry. (City also may be shown, if not requested otherwise.)
• You may request that your first name and last initial only (Ex: Jane D.) are published with your entry. All other contact information is kept strictly confidential and is not shared with any outside party.
• Online Humor Showcase may be subject to time limitations. Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions may be subject to content rotation and may not all be available online at any one time. Author's credit will always be included when an entry is in the online Humor Showcase.

ADDITIONAL MARKETING TIPS

• You may also copy your Blue Ribbon and paste it visibly on your site (in a reduced size if desired). You could place it next to an announcement of your achievement or next to a copy of your award-winning entry. 
• You may use the Blue Ribbon as a link (or create another link) to your published entry on www.HumorPress.com. (Page address may change after Showcase period ends, so periodically check your link.) 
• Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions may use "Published by HumorPress.com" in marketing and publicity efforts.

PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANCE

• Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions also receive a FREE Public Relations Kit to help generate valuable publicity recognizing your achievement in your local media.

BOOK PUBLISHING INFORMATION

• HumorPress.com or its affiliated sites may also hold or publicize other contests or publishing projects under this or other domain names, contest names or publishing titles.
• Selected results from our contests may be packaged and published in print editions, with publication schedules developed accordingly. This will not affect prompt online publishing, payment of cash prizes, or other benefits of each individual contest or publishing project.
• All published entries will receive full author's credit as specified on the entry form.
• Book purchase is not required for contest entry.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

• HumorPress.com publishes copyright notices on every published entry to protect the rights of the authors and indicate to all others that the material is copyrighted and is being used by permission of the author.
• HumorPress.com retains rights to publishing Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions in multi-author compilation form; you retain ownership of your submission and all other rights, including publishing it separately or in a collection of your own work. 
• The compilations that we put together are unique and original, and we are careful to make sure they are not duplicated by other publishers, regardless of the form it might take, online or in print, derivations, etc. In order to ensure this, if selected as a Winner, Finalist, Semi-Finalist or Honorable Mention, you grant to HumorPress.com the sole right to publish your entry in multi-author compilation form in online, print or other publication formats or projects, including derivations, as may be developed by HumorPress.com, its assignees or publishing partners, including advertising, marketing or public relations campaigns to promote said works. As part of the publishing process, works may undergo editing for suitability or space requirements.
• Authors retain ownership of their work at all times and retain the right to publish it separately or in a collection of their own work.

JUDGING

• Judging will occur and Winners, Finalists/Semi-Finalists and Honorable Mentions will be announced within four weeks after the close of the contest entry period. All judging decisions are final.

LIMITATIONS

• By entering, you assert that your entry is your own original material and you own the copyright. You indemnify and agree to hold harmless HumorPress.com from any liability arising out of the submission or publication of material to which you do not own the copyright.
• HumorPress.com will not arbitrate copyright conflicts. Concerns over disputed material must be addressed to the entrant, whose contact information will be provided only as legally required.
• Humor Press' total liability for any claim arising from participation in any HumorPress.com contest or publication, including the use of PayPal as our online payment processor, shall not exceed the cost of one contest entry.
• Contest entrants acknowledge that no other remuneration or compensation, except as described above, has been offered or is expected.
• HumorPress.com operates in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Entrants agree to settle any disputes through binding arbitration in the home county of HumorPress.com's Florida location.
• Rules subject to occasional review and revision.
• By entering you signify that you have read and agree to these rules.

Please print and retain a copy of the contest rules and conditions for your records.