With nearly a decade of experience in promoting up-and-coming writers and quality work, Launch Pad has firmly established itself as the premier hub for Hollywood to discover fresh voices, new ideas, and talented writers. We advocate for all of our Top 100 finalists, working with each of them to develop compelling bios and loglines, and sharing their work with the targeted industry professionals. Advance your writing career and enter your project for us to consider today!

Whether you have a ten page short story or a 1,000 page fantasy epic, we want to read it. For short stories, our judges will consider works of up to 20,000 words. For books, there’s no need to have a completed manuscript. As long as you have 50 pages of sample prose accompanied by a thorough synopsis, you are welcome to enter to be considered. Our readers and judges will start by reviewing the first 50 pages of any submission, expanding the scope of reads as rounds continue on.

Our prestigious industry juries include managers, agents, producers and executives across top companies in film, television and publishing. We also secure exclusive partnerships with management and production companies, as well as mentorship opportunities to offer guaranteed advancement for winning writers who are ready to make that leap from aspiring to working writer. No competition will do more to help all of their finalists take the next steps in their careers, and no competition has had as much success in helping writers break into the industry as Launch Pad. Our track record speaks for itself.

Enter now to join this tradition of Launch Pad success.

Our readers will consider the first 50 pages of your prose submission, regardless of the total length. If you have a completed manuscript or story that exceeds 50 pages, please submit the entire project, but if you only have the first few chapters, you’re welcome to submit only those pages.

One grand prize will be awarded each to a book and short story submission, but prior to the winners announcement, books and short stories will be considered in the same pool for advancement.

So what do you need to submit?

For Books

1. 50 Pages of sample prose
2. An approximately 1,000 word synopsis of the completed manuscript.

For Short Stories

1. A short story of 20,000 words or less
2. An approximately 1,000 word synopsis of the completed story IF it is longer than 50 pages.

Requires Add On in Checkout

We are thrilled to announce the return of Inkshares as our exclusive publishing partner for the 2021 Prose Competition. Inkshares is committing to publish at least one book submission from this year’s competition. This add-on is ONLY AVAILABLE FOR BOOK SUBMISSIONS.

Past Launch Pad collaborations with Inkshares include the Bram Stoker Award nominated KILL CREEK, set up with Showtime, Scott Derrickson and Misha Green, MR. & MRS. AMERICAN PIE which sold to Platform One with Laura Dern attached, THE MAGUS WORLD set up with Michael De Luca, HUMAN, ANEW with Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox, and THIS RED FIRE with Stampede Ventures, Greg Silverman and Freddie Skov.

With dozens of titles in bookstores since their launch just a few years ago, Inkshares is a powerful force in the publishing world and has become a major hub for Hollywood to discover new talent as well. Past successes include the sale of Tal M. Klein’s THE PUNCH ESCROW to Lionsgate and J.F. Dubeau’s A GOD IN THE SHED, which is being developed for television with Skydance and Akiva Goldsman.

Requires Add On in Checkout

This year’s Guaranteed Signing Partner is Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment. One of the most prolific spec-selling manager/producers in Hollywood, he has been a part of many Launch Pad script sales and his clients frequently feature on major year-end lists such as the Black List, Hit List and Young & Hungry List. His clients include feature writers such as Rob Liefeld (DEADPOOL), Brad Ingelsby (RUN ALL NIGHT, OUT OF THE FURNACE) and Mark Mallouk (BLACK MASS), as well as TV creators such as Mickey Fisher (REVERIE and EXTANT) and Anthony Cipriano (BATES MOTEL).

The winners will be chosen based on the following criteria: (i) The originality and commerciality of the premise; (ii) The skill and artistry of the writing in serving that premise and crafting an engaging piece of work; (iii) The effectiveness of the plot and structure in the first fifty pages in serving that premise and engaging the reader; (iv) In the case of a longer submission, the ability of the provided synopsis to articulate a compelling and sustainable path forward for the story; (v) The originality, believability and emotional investment in the characters and their impact on the overarching story and themes; (vi) Where, applicable, the use of dialogue to advance the character, story and entertainment value of the project.

Initial reads will be completed by professional industry readers, assessing the first fifty pages of each submission. After this point, our internal team of readers will read all promising submissions to allow for extensive internal discussions over the relative merits and weaknesses of each project. Through internal conferences, we narrow down a list of 100 finalists. At this point, writers may be asked to submit supplemental information (a brief bio, a more thorough synopsis of their work) to assist in the decision making process.

Further rounds of internal reading and discussion, as well as consultations with our signing and option partners, narrow the finalists down to 10, at which point our panel of industry judges read each project and provide feedback which determines our winners.

Any entrant may be deemed ineligible at the sole discretion of Launch Pad. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.

1. All entries MUST BE submitted in English as a PDF document with standard margin sizing.
2. Initial reading will be limited to the first fifty (50) pages of any submission and a synopsis of approximately 1,000 words.
3. Short story submissions should be limited to under 20,000 words.
4. Full book manuscript submissions are not required, but are welcomed and may be considered in later rounds.
5. Submissions with multiple writers are allowed (however, all entry fees must be paid under one account and all prizes to be shared among writing partners).
6. All submissions must be the sole property of the writer(s). Any submissions of existing literary figures and or stories not in the public domain, as well as any intellectual property that the writer does not own will be disqualified.
7. All entries will be read blind, with no discernible marks shared with readers. We choose this option so that each entry is judged by the work, and the words alone.
8. Work with a prior option is allowed, but at the time of submission and for the duration of the contest, must remain exclusively the writer’s property.
9. Work that has been previously published is eligible so long as the writer retains further publication and adaptation rights.
10. The only projects not allowed to be entered are those which have already sold, have previously earned our “TB Recommends” honors, or received a top 100 placement in a previous Launch Pad competition.
11. The Launch Pad uses Coverfly to manage our submissions and reads. Updated drafts accepted through the Coverfly website only.
12. The Launch Pad and all judges/readers will utilize whatever criteria they deem appropriate in deciding a winner.
13. All submissions will remain the property of the writer(s) throughout the contest (at no point will anyone from the judge’s panel, or Launch Pad ever attach themselves to your work without your consent).
14. Entrants may be contacted as a result of the contest by Launch Pad, the judging panel or other industry professionals in regards to representation, production, sale and/or option of the entered work.
15. Entrants are under no obligation to sell their work or otherwise attach themselves to representation in any form – this includes the guaranteed option and guaranteed signing add ons.
16. General prose entries will not receive feedback, however, you can opt to upgrade and receive feedback on your submission.
17. The contest is open to entrants 18 or older. It is an international contest and open to entrants worldwide.
18. The Launch Pad reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to change or modify these terms at any time without notice.
19. By entering this competition, you agree to receive periodic emails from The Launch Pad and The Tracking Board. You may unsubscribe to these at any time.
20. All entrants understand and agree to allow Launch Pad to post details on their project (title, writer’s name, logline, genre, and competition details) as well as regarding the writer (biography, picture) to their site, or sister site to help promote the entrants’ work.
21. By entering the competition, entrants are acknowledging their eligibility for the competition. The vast majority of entrants enter in good faith, and validating everyone at the entry stage would be inefficient and take away from efforts reading and finding the best projects. Therefore, we check eligibility at the Top 100 Finalist stage, which allows us to confirm eligibility prior to winner selection. If an issue comes to our attention earlier, we will address eligibility issues in earlier rounds on a case-by-case basis.
22. All purchases and submissions are final. No refunds will be issued.
23. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
24. Except where prohibited by law, participation in the contest constitutes each entrant’s consent to LaunchPad and its agents’ and contest sponsor’s use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. All uses of a entrants’ information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
25. You agree to release and hold harmless LaunchPad, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, prize contributors, judges, readers, sponsors, and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising, or promoting the competition, and every one of their respective members, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) past and present from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to damages and negligence to property and persons, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, copyright, infringement of trademark or other intellectual property rights relating to a participant’s entry, participation in the competition and/or acceptance or use or misuse of prize; provided however, that such release will not apply to any commercial exploitation of the script by a Released Party in violation of your rights under applicable copyright law; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the LaunchPad and its sponsors, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) relating to an entrant’s participation in the competition and/or entrant’s use or misuse of Prize.