Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 10-23-25

Thanks for being here. By using the Bow & Chariot website (the “Site”) and/or submitting work to us (the “Service”), you’re agreeing to these Terms & Conditions (“Terms”). Please read them carefully.

This document is written to be clear and friendly, but it is legally binding.

Who can use the Site

  • You must be at least 18 years old.

  • You agree to follow these Terms and any submission guidelines on our Site.

  • If you use the Site on behalf of an organization, you confirm you’re authorized to bind that organization.

Submissions and contests (how entries work)

  • Submission implies acceptance of these Terms and the posted guidelines.

  • Entry fees and categories are listed on the Site. Fees are non-refundable except where we specifically say otherwise in these Terms.

    • No refunds if disqualified.

    • No refunds if you withdraw.

    • Only refunded if we cancel the contest before results.

  • We allow multiple stories in a single document only if the guidelines for that category specifically say so. Otherwise, please send one piece per document.

  • You may enter as many times as you’d like, but each entry requires its own entry fee.

  • If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please withdraw it promptly.

  • We only consider unpublished work (that includes personal blogs/newsletters and social media). Reprints will be disqualified.

  • Submission does not guarantee publication, selection, or a prize.

  • We do not accept AI-generated work. Entries found to be wholly or substantially AI-generated will be disqualified without refund.

  • We will not accept defamatory, hateful, or unlawful content, plagiarized work.

  • We may send shortlisted entries to final judges without identifying information (“blind”).

  • Please include appropriate content warnings (TW/CW) at the top of your document if needed.

  • Contests are open internationally to writers age 18 or older, provided PayPal is available in their country and they are not located in a region restricted by U.S. law.

Email Communications

By entering the Bow & Chariot Writing Contests, participants agree to be automatically subscribed to the Bow & Chariot mailing list. This allows us to send important contest information, including rules, deadlines, and updates, as well as notices of future contests and publication opportunities.
Participants may unsubscribe from these communications at any time by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link provided in each email.

We respect your privacy and will never sell or share your email address with third parties. All communications will comply with applicable data protection and email marketing laws.

Rights and licensing

  • You (the author) keep worldwide copyright to your work.

  • If we accept your work for publication, you grant Bow & Chariot a non-exclusive license to publish the work in our magazine (print and/or digital), promote it across our channels (including short excerpts), and archive it on our Site indefinitely. All other rights revert to you upon publication.

  • For contests with winning/commended pieces, you grant us a non-exclusive license to publish those pieces and to use short excerpts for promotional purposes.

  • We may also publish your name/pen name and bio in connection with your work unless you request otherwise in writing at the time of acceptance.

  • You confirm your submission is your original work, does not infringe anyone’s rights, and is not under contract elsewhere that would prevent us from publishing it.

  • For promotional purposes, this may include use of short excerpts, titles, author names/pen names, bios, and creative materials such as social media graphics, audio teasers or video teasers. These uses are strictly for promoting Bow & Chariot and do not transfer any additional rights in the work.

Decisions, cancellations, and changes

  • We reserve the right to select judges and to change a judge if needed.

  • In rare cases, we may cancel a contest (e.g., due to insufficient entries or operational issues). If we cancel before results are announced, we’ll refund entry fees for that contest. We do not provide refunds based on editorial or judging outcomes.

  • If judges determine entries do not meet a publishable standard, we reserve the right not to award some or all prizes. Entry fees would not be refunded in this case, as fees cover the cost of running the contest and review process.

Payments and third-party services

  • We may use third-party platforms (e.g., Jotform for submissions; Stripe/PayPal for payments; Squarespace for hosting). Those services have their own terms and privacy policies.

  • You agree to comply with all posted rules on those platforms.

Acceptable use

Please don’t:

  • Break the law using our Site.

  • Upload harmful code or try to disrupt our Site or others’ access.

  • Impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity.

  • Copy, reverse engineer, or misuse the Site or its content.

Intellectual property on the Site

  • The Bow & Chariot name, logo, and Site design/content are owned by us (or our licensors). Don’t use them without permission.

  • You can link to our pages in a fair and non-misleading way.

Disclaimers and limits on liability

  • We try to keep the Site available and accurate, but it’s provided “as is” and “as available.”

  • We don’t promise uninterrupted service or error-free content.

  • To the fullest extent permitted by law, Bow & Chariot and its team won’t be liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Site or Service. Our total liability to you will not exceed the amount you paid to us in the past 12 months for the relevant Service.

Indemnity

  • You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Bow & Chariot harmless from claims or losses arising out of your submissions, your use of the Site, or your breach of these Terms.

DMCA / copyright concerns

  • If you believe content on our Site infringes your copyright, send a notice including: (a) your signature; (b) identification of the copyrighted work; (c) identification of the allegedly infringing material; (d) your contact info; (e) a good-faith statement that the use is not authorized; and (f) a statement under penalty of perjury that your notice is accurate and you’re authorized to act.
    Contact: info@bowandchariot.com

Privacy

  • See our Privacy Policy for how we collect and use personal data.

International users

  • If you access the Site from outside the U.S., you’re responsible for complying with your local laws.

Changes to these Terms

  • We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we’ll update the “Last updated” date and post the new version on the Site. Continued use means you accept the updated Terms.

Severability and entire agreement

  • If any part of these Terms is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. These Terms are our entire agreement regarding the Site and Services.

Force Majeure

  • We are not responsible for any failure to perform, or delay in performing, our obligations under these Terms if such failure or delay is caused by events outside our reasonable control. This includes, but is not limited to, natural disasters, acts of government, labor disputes, internet or power outages, illness, technical failures, or other events commonly referred to as “force majeure.” In such cases, our obligations will be suspended for the duration of the event.

Governing law and venue

  • These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Any disputes will be resolved exclusively in the state courts located in Harris County, Texas, or the federal courts in the Southern District of Texas.

Questions about these Terms? Contact: info@bowandchariot.com

Note: This policy is for general informational purposes and does not replace legal advice. Please consult an attorney for specific guidance.