Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Latter-day Saints from all backgrounds are welcome to enter any of the contest categories. Professional historians who are not Latter-day Saints are also welcome to enter the Academic Research Article category. We are considering organizing writing groups on a regional or national scale so that members working on competition submissions can support each other and comment on each other’s work. If you are interested in participating in a writing group, please email stories@ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
History is a story that shows change over time. There are two elements to good history: good primary sources and good analysis. Primary sources are sources produced during the time period you are studying—for instance, if you are studying something that happened in the 1960s, you will look for letters, Church activity records, photographs, newspapers, or oral history interviews from the 1960s. Gather primary sources that help you to understand the experiences of those who were living in that time. Then write about their stories in a way that others who did not experience that history can understand. Provide historical context. For instance, maybe a political upheaval at the time made the situation more tense, or maybe that area was just recovering from a destructive hurricane. Historical context helps readers today better understand the significance of a historical story. Your analysis should link events together to create a story that shows the overall significance of a particular Latter-day Saint experience, event, or moment in history. There are many different ways to do this. Please see the guidelines page and the judging rubric.
In a local history, the place is central. The main subject of the story is rooted in a local Latter-day Saint community. A personal narrative is more focused on a person, family, or group of people.
Yes. You can write about the stories of others as long as they give you permission to do so.
No. This is not a historical fiction competition; it is a Church history competition! The strongest entries will be supported with evidence, such as well-documented primary sources, facts and dates that can be independently verified, and so on.
Yes. Video or audio submissions are acceptable. Appropriate submissions might include a video of you telling a story, an oral history interview with someone who remembers historical events, a tour of a local site that is significant to Church history, and so on.
Yes. Photos are welcomed in all submissions to add visual interest and capture a moment in time. The best photos are accompanied by good historical analysis that provides context and creates a strong narrative. Please include references or relevant privacy permissions for any photographic images you use that you do not own yourself.
There is no minimum or maximum age, but if you are under the age of 18 at the time submissions are due, you must supply parental consent to enter.
Yes. The most important requirement of the competition is that you are from one of the countries in the competition region. If you are from one of these countries, you may still submit even if you are currently studying outside the competition region or if you are researching a Latter-day Saint history topic from another area.
Yes. The most important requirement of the competition is that you are from one of the countries in the competition region. If you are from one of these countries, you may still submit even if you are currently studying outside the competition region or if you are researching a Latter-day Saint history topic from another area.
No. Think about the significance of individual voices in the scriptures—even though authors like Nephi or Jacob didn’t think much of their writing, today we value their individual styles. Similarly, we value your authentic voice over writing that can be generated by artificial intelligence. For this reason, submissions using AI are not allowed in the competition.
A local jury will evaluate your submission according to a judging rubric.
The top submission in the Personal Narrative category will receive the equivalent of $200 USD in local currency. The top submission in the Local History category will receive the equivalent of $200 USD. The top submission in the Student Research Paper category will receive the equivalent of $250 USD. The top submission in the Academic Research Article category will receive the equivalent of $300 USD. See the prizes page here.
This is a way to acknowledge the varying amount of time, effort, and expertise to compete in that category.
High-quality submissions may be published in Church media outlets such as the Liahona, For the Strength of Youth, the Friend, ChurchofJesusChrist.org, and Area and stake-level websites or publications. If your submission is selected for official publication, we will contact you for additional permission before publishing in one of these outlets.
We are considering organizing writing groups on a regional or national scale so that members working on competition submissions can support each other and comment on each other’s work. If you are interested in participating in a writing group, please email stories@ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
After competition results are announced, you will learn about the outstanding work that has been submitted by others in your region, and you may choose to reach out to them regarding future collaboration opportunities.
If you are not originally from the competition region, you are not eligible to win a cash prize. However, you are eligible to receive a certificate of commendation for exceptional work. You will also have our heartfelt thanks for being someone committed to building knowledge of Church history in this region!
