Submissions

Savage Wonder prides itself on opportunities for veteran writers. Savage Wonder offers on-going playwrighting competitions as well as the Savage Wonder literary blog. You may select which opportunity interests you below.

Playwrighting Competitions

Until July 3, 2025, Savage Wonder is accepting submissions for both full-length AND 10-minute playwrighting competitions. Playwrights must meet one of the following criteria:

Current or former: US military, law enforcement, fire service, EMS, foreign service, intelligence service, DoD employee, DoD Contractor; or
Immediate family of the service member.

For full-length plays:

The competition winner will receive a $5,000 grant.
The second-place finalist will receive a $3,500 grant.
The third-place finalist will receive a $2,500 grant.

For 10-minute plays:

The competition winner will receive a $1,000 grant.
The second-place finalist will receive a $750 grant.
The third-place finalist will receive a $500 grant.

All winners and finalists also receive feedback from the panel of judges. In addition, winners and finalists may be invited to become Savage Wonder Resident Artists where they will have the opportunity to develop and submit plays for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder.

Plays can be any genre and any subject matter. Playwrights may submit more than one play. Plays should not have been previously produced and/or published. Winners and finalists will be notified via email no later than December 31, 2025 (note: we will make every effort to have results back to submitters ASAP, however, in order to ensure fair treatment of each submission and to plan for any contingencies which may arise, we are providing a worst-case scenario for our timeline). There is no participation or submission fee. There is no guarantee that winners’ or finalists’ work will be produced by VetRep. See full details at the bottom of this page.

Savage Wonder

The blank canvas for veterans to work on their craft while using the Savage Wonder platform to gain exposure and feedback. There is no compensation and the writers retain all rights of their work. Submissions can be poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction. They can be any genre and pertain to any subject matter. It is a literary site, so we ask that you please not submit punditry or straight non-fiction essays.

Submissions Form

Full Legal Name(Required)

Prefix First Middle Last Suffix

Professional Name (if different)

Prefix First Middle Last Suffix

Your nom de plume, handle, pseudonym – the name you write under.

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Veteran Status(Required)

Mailing Address(Required)

Biography(Required)

We kindly request a brief writer’s biography to accompany your submission.

Where would like your submission sent?(Required)

File

Max. file size: 50 MB.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Savage Wonder Full-Length Playwriting Competition Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules. Savage Wonder Full-Length Playwriting Competition (“Competition”) is held by Savage Wonder Arts (“Host”).

PARTICIPATION DATES AND PROMOTION STRUCTURE: The Competition will open at 12:00:01 AM Eastern Standard Time on July 4, 2024 and ends on 11:59:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on July 3, 2025 (“Submission Period”). One (1) Winner will be selected from among all eligible submissions received during the Submission Period and announced on or approximately on December 31, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY: The Competition is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are age 18 or over and 1) currently serve or have previously served in the United States military, local, state or federal law enforcement, local, state, or federal fire services, local, state or federal Emergency Management Services, federal intelligence services, Department of Defense (as either an employee or contractor), or the US Department of State Foreign Service, or 2) are the current or former immediate family member of an individual in 1). Individuals stationed on U.S. military bases overseas are eligible to enter. Employees, representatives, agents, officers, and directors of Host (including competition judges) and all its respective parents, subsidiaries, members, divisions, affiliates, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies (“Host and Promotion Parties”), and those individuals who are immediate family members of Host and Promotion Parties, or persons living in the same household as, or domiciled with, Host and Promotion Parties, are not eligible to participate in the Competition. “Immediate family” means parents, siblings, children and spouse. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. VetRep resident artists and previous full-length play winners are ineligible to submit for the full-length play competition.

HOW TO ENTER: During the Submission Period, entrants must submit at least one (1) full-length, completed manuscript of a play meeting the submission requirements below to the following email address: info@savagewonder.org OR via the Submissions portal located at savagewonder.org/submissions. Entrants must submit each play as a single PDF file. Plays should not have been previously produced and/or published. There is no participation or submission fee. There is no guarantee that winners’ or finalists’ work will be produced by Savage Wonder. If submitting the play via email, the entrant must also submit a brief description of their service or the service of their immediate family member (submissions via the vetrep.org portal will require entrant to select the appropriate description from the drop-down menu). No other methods of entry are accepted. Any entries submitted before or after the Submission Period will be disqualified. There is no limit on entries per person.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: To be considered as eligible, an entry:

Must be a full-length, completed play in PDF format.
Title page must include playwright’s name, physical address, phone number and email.
Must not be a musical, screenplay, one-act, children’s play, adaptation, translation, or fan fiction play
Must be the entrant’s own original work and cannot be co-authored
Must be typed in the English language
Must not have been previously produced or published. (Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production are permitted).
Must not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission
Must not violate the intellectual property rights of any third party

By submitting an entry, entrant warrants and represents that he/she consents to the submission and use of the entry in the Competition and to its use as otherwise set forth herein. Personal information gathered about entrants will be used solely for the administration of the Competition and will not be sold or distributed to third parties besides Host and Promotion Parties. Entries that do not meet the criteria above may be automatically disqualified. All decisions regarding the submission requirements are made by Host in its sole discretion and are final. Entries will not be returned.

WINNER SELECTION: Two (2) to ten (10) Finalists and one (1) Winner will be selected from among all eligible entries. As this is a skill competition, the odds of winning depend on the number of entries received and the relative merit of the entrants as demonstrated through judging by Host’s representatives.

Judging for the Finalists and Winner will be conducted by a panel of independent, qualified professional readers designated by Host. The Winning play will be selected according to the Judges’ assessment of the artistic craft demonstrated, including voice, theme, dialogue, and characterizations. Plays containing military themes or content will not be afforded any special consideration during judging.

Finalists will be notified on or about December 31st, 2025. Host will set up an interview with each Finalist, which may be conducted in person or by phone, at the mutual convenience of Finalist and Host. One Winner will be selected by Host from among all Finalists. The Winner will be announced publicly on or approximately on December 31st, 2025.

The Finalist selected by the Host to be the Winner will be notified in advance of the public announcement. In order to be awarded a grant and declared the Winner or Finalist, the entrant must pass a background check and sign and complete a General Release of Liability and Nondisclosure Agreement and return it to Host within 10 days of the date of receipt of the Grand grant Winner notification. Host is not responsible for and shall not be liable for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to deliver the notification to selected Finalists. If a selected Finalist is ineligible, fails to claim a grant, fails to successfully pass the background check, or fails to timely return the completed and executed General Release of Liability and Nondisclosure Agreement within 10 days of initial contact, the grant may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate Finalist. If the selected Finalist has moved to a different address, it is the sole responsibility of the selected Finalist to notify the Host or designated agent of the selected Finalist’s new address. Host is not responsible for any undeliverable grant deliveries due to change of address.

GRANT: The Winner will receive: (a) a $5,000 grant; (b) written feedback from Judges; and may receive (c) an invitation to become a Savage Wonder Artist-in-Residence where he/she will have the opportunity to submit plays for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder. The second-place finalist will receive: (a) a $3,500 grant; (b) written feedback from Judges; and may receive (c) an invitation to become a Savage Wonder Artist-in-Residence where he/she will have the opportunity to submit plays for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder. The third-place finalist will receive: (a) a $2,500 grant; (b) all other considerations given to the second-place finalist. The fourth-place through tenth-place finalists will receive no financial grant, but will receive all other considerations given to the second-place finalist. Active Duty Military personnel must be granted approval to receive the grant by their chain of command. No alternative grants or substitution is permitted, except by Host in its sole discretion in the event of grant unavailability. Grants are not transferable or convertible to cash. Winner and finalists are subject to verification. Taxes of any kind, including all federal, state, provincial and/or local taxes, are the sole responsibility of Winner and Finalists. Winner and Finalists will be issued an IRS 1099 form for all grants above $600 USD, where and if applicable.

HOST’S RIGHTS IN WINNER’S AND FINALISTS’ MANUSCRIPT: By accepting a grant, Winner and Finalists grant Host the nonexclusive right to use, display, print, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, promote and provide access to the entry materials, which include but are not limited to the entrant’s play manuscript, in any media throughout the world, and without additional consideration. Each entrant waives moral rights in such entry materials. Host’s rights shall begin when the first grant is awarded and end two (2) years thereafter. Host acknowledges that all copyright in and to the winning play remains with Winner. Winner grants Host the rights to use entrant’s name, voice, and/or likeness for the purpose of inclusion on a winner’s and/or finalists’ list, and in advertising, trade, or promotion, without further compensation worldwide in perpetuity and in any form of media including the Internet, unless prohibited by law.

OTHER CONDITIONS: By participating in the Competition, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Host, which shall be final. Host is not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (ii) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions; (iii) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Host that may cause the Competition to be disrupted or corrupted; (iv) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of any grant, or acceptance, possession, or use of any grant, or from participation in the Competition; or (v) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Competition. Host reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend or cancel the Competition at any time if a computer virus, bug, tampering, unauthorized intervention, or other technical problem of any sort corrupts the administration, security, or proper play of the Competition. Host reserves the right to cancel the Competition or change any element thereof, with or without notice, at any time, due to printing errors, web site errors, transmission errors or other mistakes or problems in the production or administration of the Competition. Host also reserves the right to disqualify, in its sole discretion, any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of the website, or who is otherwise in violation of the Official Rules. By participating, entrants agree that all disputes will be resolved in the appropriate courts in the state of New York, exclusively, and subject to the laws of the state of New York, unless otherwise required by law.

By participating in the Competition, each entrant agrees to release and hold Host and its employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, parents, members, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the Competition or resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of any grant, including without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy, to the extent permitted by law.

CONTACT US: If you have any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Competition, please contact Host via email at info@savagewonder.org or via the Contact form at savagewonder.org.

WINNERS’ AND FINALISTS’ NAMES: The Winner and Finalists will be posted to the Savage Wonder website, savagewonder.org, on or about December 31, 2025.

Savage Wonder Theater 10-Minute Playwriting Competition Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

HOW TO ENTER: During the Submission Period, entrants must submit at least one (1) completed manuscript of a play ten (10) minutes or less in length meeting the submission requirements below to the following email address: info@savagewonder.org OR via the Submissions portal located at savagewonder.org/submissions. Entrants must submit each play as a single PDF file. Plays should not have been previously produced and/or published. There is no participation or submission fee. There is no guarantee that winners’ or finalists’ work will be produced by Savage Wonder. If submitting the play via email, the entrant must also submit a brief description of their service or the service of their immediate family member (submissions via the vetrep.org portal will require entrant to select the appropriate description from the drop-down menu). No other methods of entry are accepted. Any entries submitted before or after the Submission Period will be disqualified. There is no limit on entries per person.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: To be considered as eligible, an entry:

Must be a completed play, ten (10) minutes or less in length in PDF format
Title page must include playwright’s name, physical address, phone number and email.
Must not be a musical, screenplay, children’s play, adaptation, translation, or fan fiction play
Must be the entrant’s own original work and cannot be co-authored
Must be typed in the English language
Must not have been previously produced or published. (Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production are permitted).
Must not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission
Must not violate the intellectual property rights of any third party

By submitting an entry, entrant warrants and represents that he/she consents to the submission and use of the entry in the Competition and to its use as otherwise set forth herein. Personal information gathered about entrants will be used solely for the administration of the Competition and will not be sold or distributed to third parties besides Host and Promotion Parties. Entries that do not meet the criteria above may be automatically disqualified. All decisions regarding the submission requirements are made by Host in its sole discretion and are final. Entries will not be returned.

WINNER SELECTION: Two (2) to ten (10) Finalists and one (1) Winner will be selected from among all eligible entries. As this is a skill competition, the odds of winning depend on the number of entries received and the relative merit of the entrants as demonstrated through judging by Host’s representatives.

Judging for the Finalists and Winner will be conducted by a panel of independent, qualified professional readers designated by Host. The Winning play will be selected according to the Judges’ assessment of the artistic craft demonstrated, including voice, theme, dialogue, and characterizations. Plays containing military themes or content will not be afforded any special consideration during judging.

Finalists will be notified on or about December 31st, 2025. Host will set up an interview with each Finalist, which may be conducted in person or by phone, at the mutual convenience of Finalist and Host. One Winner will be selected by Host from among all Finalists. The Winner will be announced publicly on or approximately on December 31st, 2025.

The Finalist selected by the Host to be the Winner will be notified in advance of the public announcement. In order to be awarded a grant and declared the Winner or Finalist, the entrant must pass a background check and sign and complete a General Release of Liability and Nondisclosure Agreement and return it to Host within 10 days of the date of receipt of the Grand grant Winner notification. Host is not responsible for and shall not be liable for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to deliver the notification to selected Finalists. If a selected Finalist is ineligible, fails to claim a grant, fails to successfully pass the background check, or fails to timely return the completed and executed General Release of Liability and Nondisclosure Agreement within 10 days of initial contact, the grant may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate Finalist. If the selected Finalist has moved to a different address, it is the sole responsibility of the selected Finalist to notify the Host or designated agent of the selected Finalist’s new address. Host is not responsible for any undeliverable grant deliveries due to change of address.

GRANT: The Winner will receive: (a) a $1,000 grant; (b) written feedback from Judges; and may receive (c) an invitation to become a Savage Wonder Artist-in-Residence where he/she will have the opportunity to submit plays for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder. The second-place finalist will receive: (a) a $750 grant; (b) written feedback from Judges; and may receive (c) an invitation to become a Savage Wonder Artist-in-Residence where he/she will have the opportunity to submit plays for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder. The third-place finalist will receive: (a) a $500 grant; (b) all other considerations given to the second-place finalist. The fourth-place through tenth-place finalists will receive no financial grant, but will receive all other considerations given to the second-place finalist. Active Duty Military personnel must be granted approval to receive the grant by their chain of command. No alternative grants or substitution is permitted, except by Host in its sole discretion in the event of grant unavailability. Grants are not transferable or convertible to cash. Winner and finalists are subject to verification. Taxes of any kind, including all federal, state, provincial and/or local taxes, are the sole responsibility of Winner and Finalists. Winner and Finalists will be issued an IRS 1099 form for all grants above $600 USD, where and if applicable.

HOST’S RIGHTS IN WINNER’S AND FINALISTS’ MANUSCRIPT: By accepting a grant, Winner and Finalists grant Host the nonexclusive right to use, display, print, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, promote and provide access to the entry materials, which include but are not limited to the entrant’s play manuscript, in any media throughout the world, and without additional consideration. Each entrant waives moral rights in such entry materials. Host’s rights shall begin when the first grant is awarded and end two (2) years thereafter. Host acknowledges that all copyright in and to the winning play remains with Winner. Winner grants Host the rights to use entrant’s name, voice, and/or likeness for the purpose of inclusion on a winner’s and/or finalists’ list, and in advertising, trade, or promotion, without further compensation worldwide in perpetuity and in any form of media including the Internet, unless prohibited by law.

OTHER CONDITIONS: By participating in the Competition, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Host, which shall be final. Host is not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (ii) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions; (iii) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Host that may cause the Competition to be disrupted or corrupted; (iv) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of any grant, or acceptance, possession, or use of any grant, or from participation in the Competition; or (v) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Competition. Host reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend or cancel the Competition at any time if a computer virus, bug, tampering, unauthorized intervention, or other technical problem of any sort corrupts the administration, security, or proper play of the Competition. Host reserves the right to cancel the Competition or change any element thereof, with or without notice, at any time, due to printing errors, web site errors, transmission errors or other mistakes or problems in the production or administration of the Competition. Host also reserves the right to disqualify, in its sole discretion, any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of the website, or who is otherwise in violation of the Official Rules. By participating, entrants agree that all disputes will be resolved in the appropriate courts in the state of New York, exclusively, and subject to the laws of the state of New York, unless otherwise required by law.

By participating in the Competition, each entrant agrees to release and hold Host and its employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, parents, members, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the Competition or resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of any grant, including without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy, to the extent permitted by law.

CONTACT US: If you have any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Competition, please contact Host via email at info@savagewonder.org or via the Contact form at savagewonder.org.

WINNERS’ AND FINALISTS’ NAMES: The Winner and Finalists will be posted to the Savage Wonder website, savagewonder.org, on or about December 31, 2025.

Submissions Form

Contact Us