From: Erica Gomes

Q. When entering a writing competition, if not mentioned, should a short story have a title?

Dear Erica,

A. Absolutely. Every story should have a title except in the unlikely event that the competition rules state otherwise. The standard method of preparing a document for a competition is to:  

1. Number the pages
2. Put the story title at the top of the first page but not your name, so that the judges don’t see a name, just the story.
3. Put the story title in the header or footer so that it appears on each page as well. If pages get separated they can more easily be married up again.
4. Do not put your name, address or other details on the story pages, but put all these details on a separate cover sheet which can be detached. This is so that the story only can be sent to the judges (it will have a code put on it to identify who it belongs to).

However, always read the competition rules carefully and follow their instructions.

Click Here to ask your question