Formatting
WHAT FORMAT IS REQUIRED?
Books are to be submitted in PDF format in the following manner:
Set up your submission as though you were submitting an e-book to one of your distributors. Remove ALL references to the AUTHOR’S NAME, the BOOK’S TITLE (any future or past book titles or series as well), and the PUBLISHER. Nothing should remain that could identify the author. Entries which violate this requirement will be rejected, and there will be no refund of the entry fees paid. Your only identifying markings will be: your assigned author number, a dash, and your assigned book number. As previously mentioned, you will be randomly assigned an author number for EACH entry. For example: If your assigned author number is 25 and your assigned book number is 84, then your PDF submission should be identified as Submission #25-84. NO OTHER identifying markings are allowed within your submission. Inquiries regarding your submission should reference this unique submission number to assist us to identify you. Don't forget your synopsis!
EXAMPLE:
Books are to be submitted in PDF format in the following manner:
Set up your submission as though you were submitting an e-book to one of your distributors. Remove ALL references to the AUTHOR’S NAME, the BOOK’S TITLE (any future or past book titles or series as well), and the PUBLISHER. Nothing should remain that could identify the author. Entries which violate this requirement will be rejected, and there will be no refund of the entry fees paid. Your only identifying markings will be: your assigned author number, a dash, and your assigned book number. As previously mentioned, you will be randomly assigned an author number for EACH entry. For example: If your assigned author number is 25 and your assigned book number is 84, then your PDF submission should be identified as Submission #25-84. NO OTHER identifying markings are allowed within your submission. Inquiries regarding your submission should reference this unique submission number to assist us to identify you. Don't forget your synopsis!
EXAMPLE:
Don't get caught with hidden references to your manuscript. Please check, recheck, and triple check if that is what it takes. We don't want you disqualified for your name appearing on the word document.
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Before saving as a PDF, Click on the file:
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Click on Options:
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Look under your General Display at User Name or Initials. Change these to No Name or Anonymous (Something must be in there or it will default back to what it was). Same thing with Initials. We do not want ANYthing to give your name away to the judges. Your name on the document disqualifies you. There will be NO refunds issued, nor will you be informed that you were disqualified.
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Also take out any references to dedications, thank you, or appreciation pages that may give you away. As well as any references to past or future books that you have or will be publishing.
Concerned about your manuscript being pirated and put up on an illegal site? Well, it won't happen from our site, but, to alleviate your concerns, we have a suggestion. We will accept manuscripts with watermarks in them. If you don’t already know how to put a watermark in your finished manuscript, the following instructions will help you.
Go to the Design section of Word while in your manuscript. The screen should look something like this:
Go to the Design section of Word while in your manuscript. The screen should look something like this:
Next, go to the Watermark tag and click on it. Then, click on Text watermark and in the Text box write Lesfic Bard Awards Entry Only. Make sure the watermark is light enough that our judges can still read the text of your story. REMINDER: remove all references to your name, your book’s title (any future or past book titles or series as well), and the publisher from the manuscript, so you are not disqualified.
After entering the watermark text, click ok. And don’t worry, this process is totally reversible if you need your manuscript for other uses. Make sure you save this copy as a PDF, so you can send it to us for judging.
We hope this addresses the concerns of those who have asked what happens to their PDF manuscripts. We are striving to make ours the best awards site with the fairest judging!