The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests were created by L. Ron Hubbard with the purpose of discovering precious talent and providing the means to give it wings to fly.
It is every artist’s dream to create something perfect, something special and beautiful, to share their creation and have the world appreciate it. Yet so many wonderful gems remain undiscovered. It is challenging and difficult to bring these creations to the world, which is why the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests are so important. These Contests give authors and illustrators a way to share their talent, to be recognized by their idols, and to receive support and help lift them to even higher levels of success.
We, the judges and past winners of the competitions, want to see you succeed in your dreams and fly high! The judges are all successful, seasoned writers and artists who know how difficult the path to success can be, which is why we give our time and expertise so freely to those who are just beginning their journey.
I am honored to be the Coordinating Judge for the Illustrators of the Future Contest, and to have the very special opportunity—in the words of L. Ron Hubbard—to “give tomorrow a new form” by helping young illustrators achieve a strong start.
Participating is easy and free. The judging is all done blind, so the judges don’t know anything about the entrants other than the quality of their work. This Contest is legitimately one of the best opportunities a young artist can have.
We see entries from all over the world, and entrants don’t even need to speak English to enter or win. This year we have winners from Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, and across the United States. Each quarter three contest winners are chosen, so at the end of the year there are a total of twelve winners for the year.
The winning illustrators enter a second competition for the grand prize Golden Brush Award and $5,000. Each artist is commissioned to create an illustration to accompany a Writers of the Future Contest winning story. These amazing pieces are all included in this anthology.
All winners are flown to Hollywood for a huge black-tie celebration and book signing. They also spend an entire week learning the ins and outs of being a successful commercial artist in today’s world. There are seminars and lectures by famous illustrator judges and guest speakers. It’s an invaluable experience centered on providing benefit and a head start to the Contest winners, with the goal of leaving the young professional artists full of the knowledge and confidence needed to succeed.
In addition to all of that, this year I was invited to conceive and design the cover for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 36. It was important to me to reflect the spirit of the Contest.
The Uncertain Egg is a piece about undiscovered potential. It’s about hope, dreams, and the unknown. The illustration is also about being supported and encouraged—and given the wings to fly. L. Ron Hubbard dreamed of helping undiscovered talent soar and succeed, and we strive to continue that legacy by providing support, encouragement, publicity, and education to the burgeoning talent that is upcoming.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how long your treasures have been hidden—success as a writer or artist can be found at any age or point in your life. I encourage you to submit your work to these Contests, and to keep submitting every quarter. Believe in your dream, and never get discouraged. With perseverance and hard work, you can bring your dream to life, and the Writers and Illustrators of the Future are here to help launch you to fly as high as you can dream!