Cobb County School District Writing Fair

Unlike many writing competitions, Young Georgia Authors does not provide a prompt to which students must respond or provide any other boundaries to their genre choice or creativity beyond a 1900-word maximum length. 

Entries may include:

• Short Stories

• Poetry

• Essays/Literary Criticism/Analysis

• Journalism

• Academic/Research Reports

• Personal Narratives

• Any Other Original Student Writing

GENERAL RULES

➢ Only the final copy of the piece needs to be submitted (not all drafts).

➢ Young Georgia Authors is a writing contest for individuals. Therefore, partner or group 

collaborations should not be submitted.

➢ Each entry must be the student’s original work (this includes all edits, revisions, and 

publication) and must be typed or handwritten on 8.5x11 inch paper. Print on one side of the 

paper only.

➢ The maximum length of the original student work is 1900 words. If your submission nears the 

1900-word maximum, please include a word count. 

➢ Do not bind, make a cover for, decorate, laminate, or otherwise alter the original paper on 

which the entry is written. Use paper clips or binder clips. Do not use staples.

➢ If your piece is selected as your school’s grade-level winner, you will be given a form that must 

be completed and signed by your parents giving permission for your piece to be entered in the 

county-level competition.