ELIGIBILITY:

1. Any author whose UNPUBLISHED work is Christian Fiction, meeting all the contest rules and requirements, is eligible to enter. 
2. There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted; however, a single manuscript may not be entered into more than one category. 
3. The contest is open to ACFW members and non-members. 
4. Co-authored entries are allowed to enter. If one of the authors is a current ACFW member, then the entry can be submitted for the member entry fee. 
5. In any category, if fewer than seven (7) entries are received, the category shall be dissolved, and the entrant’s alternate choice category noted on their submission will be used. The author is responsible for choosing the appropriate category for their entry. ACFW staff and contest volunteers are not permitted to determine which category an entry should be in.
6. Previous winning entries of any previous ACFW contest are not eligible to be entered in this contest. Manuscripts by published authors and unpublished authors MUST be an UNPUBLISHED work.
7. The manuscript should conform to the traditionally accepted understanding of Scripture and the Christian worldview. The ACFW Executive Board may order the disqualification of submissions not meeting this requirement.
8. Manuscripts do not have to be complete in order to enter. This contest is designed to help the writer determine if they have a story idea that piques the interest of readers and to offer suggestions concerning possible areas where the story can be improved upon.
9. Entries not meeting the above-defined requirements will be disqualified and the entry fee forfeited.

FEES: 

$25 per entry for current ACFW members, $40 per entry for non-members. If an entrant must withdraw from the contest for any reason, they will forfeit their entry fee.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. Submit a back-cover copy type blurb of 200 words or less AND the first five pages of the manuscript, in the same file with the blurb first and the manuscript to follow. The manuscript must start on a new page after the blurb. Indicate into what genre you would like your submission entered.
2. DO NOT place your name, pseudonym, or other personal identifying information anywhere on the manuscript/blurb. 
3. Please do not post the name or other identifiers of your entered manuscript(s) to any of your online profiles (i.e., Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.) because doing so could compromise the anonymity of your entry.
4. Fill out the entry form, upload your entry file, and pay the contest fee at https://acfw.com/first-5-pages-contest. The entry form is in the right-hand sidebar.
5. All entrants are required to check the “accept” box on the entry form, indicating acceptance of terms. 

FORMAT:

Please use the Manuscript Formatting Example found under the Quick Links section of this web page to see how your manuscript should look. Entries with borders or frames on the manuscript pages will not be allowed. Don’t forget to include your 200-word, single-spaced blurb that begins a double-space or two single spaces down from the header. For all entries, the following guidelines must be used: 

1. Use 12-point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. The contest allows the use of Courier New, Times New Roman, Garamond, Cambria, or Book Antiqua fonts. 
2. Include a header on each manuscript with the title, category/genre, estimated manuscript word count, and page numbers. NO entrant’s name or pseudonym should be in the header. See example under Quick Links on this web page. If you do not know how to insert a header, search online for “insert a header in Word” for help.
3. Your entry will contain, in this order, a 200-word, single-spaced blurb which begins two spaces below the header, followed by the first 5 pages of your manuscript, which shall begin on a new page after the blurb. Prologues are acceptable and should be included in the 5-page count. The entry will be 6 pages total, including a 200-word blurb.

Entries not fulfilling the above specifications will be disqualified. Entry fees will not be refunded. 

If you have any questions, please e-mail the contest coordinator at firstfive@acfw.com.

CATEGORY COORDINATORS: 

When e-mailing coordinators, please put “FIRST 5 PAGES in the subject line. Coordinators are TBA. 

• Contemporary 
• Historical 
• Historical Romance 
• Mystery/Suspense/Thriller 
• Novella 
• Romance 
• Romantic Suspense 
• Short Novel 
• Speculative 
• Young Adult 

JUDGING:

Each entry in the first round of the contest will be judged by published and unpublished authors. The final round will be judged by industry professionals. In the event of a tie, the previous round scores of the tied entries will be used to break the tie. 

If any finalist is disqualified or withdraws for any reason after October 15, 2026, the next highest scoring, non-finalist entry will NOT be moved up to fill the vacant spot as a finalist. 

Judges are subject to change. All judging is blind. Entrants’ names are known only to the coordinator. 

Under no circumstances should comments given by a judge be used for publicity or promotional purposes.

PROJECTED CATEGORIES:

For all the stories, one or more characters’ Christian beliefs are blended with and form a part of the story. However, the presence of a Christian character or the use of Christian phrases and scripture are not indicators of the spiritual content in the stories. For Speculative Fiction, the traditional Christian terms are often replaced by other words more suited to the fictional setting.

• Contemporary: Novels or sagas set in any location, in a contemporary setting. This category includes literary fiction, women’s fiction, and mainstream fiction. The stories in this category can be dramatic or comedic.
• Historical (through Vietnam era): Novels or sagas set in any location, in which the time frame of the majority of the story is a historical context rather than a contemporary one. The time period can be up to and including the Vietnam era.
• Historical Romance (through Vietnam era): Novels or sagas set in any location, but in which the time frame of the majority of the story is a historical context rather than a contemporary one. The time period can be up to and including the Vietnam era. The love story is the main focus of the novel, and the end of the story is emotionally satisfying. The stories in this category can be dramatic or comedic.
• Mystery/Suspense/Thriller: Novels set in any location, in a contemporary setting, in which the suspense or mystery is the primary plot. In suspense, “often the reader learns very early in the story who did what, and how, and even why, so that the tension results from the manner in which an expected conclusion is achieved” (Jessica Mann). In thrillers, “tough, resourceful . . . heroes are pitted against villains determined to destroy them, their country, or the stability of the free world” (Steve Bennett). “The detective novel, or mystery, is generally driven by a single protagonist and follows the process of detection, functioning like a puzzle” (Ginny Wiehardt).
• Romantic Suspense: A suspense plot is blended with a love story, which is the main focus of the novel, and the end of the book is emotionally satisfying. The story can be in any location, but the time frame should be a contemporary setting. Historical romantic suspense stories should be entered in the Historical Romance category.
• Romance: The love story is set in any location in a contemporary setting and is the main focus of the novel. The end of the book is emotionally satisfying. The stories in this category can be dramatic or comedic.
• Speculative: Novels in which science fiction, the future, other planets, a fantasy world, or paranormal happenings are a major element of the plot or setting. This category includes speculative, visionary, science fiction, paranormal, futuristic, allegorical, and alternate history fiction. Stories targeted primarily at young adult readers should be entered in the Young Adult category.
• Novella: Contemporary or historical stories in any of the genre categories in this contest. Word count is 15K – 45K.
• Short Novel: Historical or contemporary shorter novels 45K-70K in length.
• Young Adult: Novels targeted toward young adult readers ages 12 through 18. The stories in this category can be dramatic, comedic, romantic, or non-romantic. Science Fiction/Fantasy/Allegory stories targeted primarily at young adult readers can be entered in this category. Stories targeted to Middle Readers are included in this category.

PRIZES:

One first-place winner from each category will be chosen. They will receive a complimentary renewal of ACFW membership for the following year, and their name will be included among the promotional material at the ACFW Conference.

TIMELINE:

Contest opens: September 2, 2026, at 8:00 AM Central time. 

Contest closes: October 15, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central time. All contest entries and contest fees must be received by that time. 

All entries will receive a confirmation e-mail indicating receipt of the entry. If an entrant does not receive a confirmation e-mail by 7:00 PM central time on October 18, 2026, the entrant should e-mail the contest coordinator at firstfive@acfw.com. Please double-check your spam or junk mail folders first if you haven’t received your confirmation. 

Finalists will be announced the week of November 15, 2026. 

The final winners will be announced the week of December 15, 2026.