1. Contest participation is open to anyone living, working, or going to school in the city of Boston and some surrounding towns, including the following neighborhoods: Allston, Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, Downtown, East Boston, Fenway, Harbor Islands, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Leather District, Longwood Medical Area, Mattapan, Mission Hill, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, Boston Seaport, South End, West End, West Roxbury, Arlington, Cambridge, Belmont, Brookline, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Newton, Somerville, Revere, Watertown, Winthrop. Participants must submit a valid mailing address in one of these towns where they can be reached.
2. Stories must be about life in the city of Boston and cannot be longer than 100 words. The title is not included in the 100-word count.
3. Stories must be original, meaning they are written by the submitting author for the purpose of this contest and have not been previously published elsewhere, including an author’s personal website, social media accounts, or blogs. Participants who fail to adhere to this rule accept personal responsibility for any damages incurred, and contest organizers have the right to take any applicable legal action.
4. Participants can submit up to five stories each. Stories can be submitted through the contest website and in accordance with the instructions listed there. Stories can also be submitted by mail to: Boston in 100 Words 40 Elson Rd. Waltham, MA 02451. If submitting by mail, please submit stories in a sealed envelope with a pseudonym in place of your real name. Inside the sealed envelope, each story should include a title and your pseudonym; also include a separate document with the following information: pseudonym, title of the story (or stories if submitting more than one), first and last name, date of birth, mailing address, phone number, and email.
5. Stories can be submitted from January 29 through March 29, 2024.
6. Winning stories will be selected by a group of local, renowned writers who work in collaboration with a screening committee convened by contest organizers.