Official Rules.
The Simily Short Story Contest (“Contest”) is sponsored by Simily, Inc. (“Simily”). ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY.
Eligibility Requirements:
Story Submissions: Submissions must be fiction short stories, less than 2,500 words, and the writer’s original work. Writers must own the copyright to any story they submit. The copyright of all submitted stories, including the selected winner, remains the property of the writer.
Entry Fee: The entry fee for early bird submissions received before January 20, 2025 is $20. The entry fee for submissions received after January 20, 2025 and before February 14, 2025 is $35. Entry fee payment must be made online through our submissions page.
Agreement to Official Rules. Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of Simily, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.
Contest Period: The Contest begins on January 3, 2025 and ends on February 14, 2025 at 11:59p EST (the “Contest Period”). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified.
Winner Notification: The winner will be notified via email on or before March 3, 2025. If the winner cannot be contacted within thirty (30) days after the date of the first attempt to contact them, Simily may select an alternate winner in their place from the remaining non-winning, eligible entries.
General Conditions:
In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, unauthorized human intervention or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by Simily in its sole discretion, Simily may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. Simily reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Simily reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney’s fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by Simily to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
Release and Limitations of Liability:
By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Simily, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto), including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) application downloads, (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the incorrect uploading of the submission, the processing of entries application uploads or in any Contest-related materials; or (f) injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto). Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
Disputes:
Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in Pennsylvania. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Simily in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Pennsylvania, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Pennsylvania.
Privacy
Information collected from entrants is subject to Simily’s privacy policy.
