Length of Free Writing Contest Articles
Each article submitted must be at least 350 words and a maximum of 1050 words. The minimum length must be
- 350 words standard articles
- 550 words for listicles
- 650 words for how-to pieces
Article Layout and Content
All free writing contest articles must complete the following layout criteria
- Must use one bullet point or numbered list with a minimum of three options
- The title must begin with Who, What, Why, What, or How.
- Articles must include at least two links that point to the source of their contents.
- Articles must have one H2 header after the first 75 – 100 words
Sentences, Paragraphs, and Readability
These guidelines are important for each sentence, paragraph, and your readability score.
Paragraphs
- Must not have more than four sentences. Keep it between 3 – 4 sentences per paragraph.
- Use connecting words to begin each new paragraph. For example: according to, however, nonetheless, in addition, moreover, notwithstanding, etc.
Sentences
- Sentences should have a maximum of 18 words. Keep sentences as short as possible. Concise.
- Do not begin sentences with conjunctions such as: and, but, because, etc
- Start new sentences with a capital letter ‘S’ in the first word.
- End each sentence with a period, unless it is a question. In this case, use a ‘?’ mark to end the question.
Readability
Be sure to check your readability score before submitting your article. You can find the info by scrolling to the end of the writing prompt.
Plagiarism
All articles must be original and may not be copied from other written articles. Any form of Plagiarism will result in the closure of the contest account.
AI Articles
This contest is bent on rewarding human talent. While we do not deny the value of AI in our science, we do not accept articles generated by AI.
Articles written by AI will be rejected and the contestant banned from our servers.
General Settings
- Your article should include factual, detailed, and helpful information.
- This section is NOT for time-sensitive content such as news stories or short opinions
- The article’s title should make it clear what the article is about
- Your article must be readable and of a reasonable standard of English, with good spelling and grammar
- Once you submit an article to April Pad you transfer the copyright to April Pad and hence you must not publish it elsewhere
Final Notes
Although we know that contestants are wonderful people, we ask you to avoid any form of discrimination. This includes racial, gender, religious, social, etc.
Enjoy a fair contest. Write and win.