Read all of the following guidelines carefully.

Your entry may not be accepted if you fail to follow all of the following guidelines:

• For all award categories except those entered in the Overall Product or Trade categories, the entrant must be an individual garden communicator (writer, photographer, illustrator, etc.).
  
  
• Overall product entries recognize a collective effort and this category is recommended only for publishers, producers and packagers.
  
  
• A submitter is a second party (publisher/producer) who wishes to nominate a communicator’s work. The award will go to the individual (entrant), not the second party who nominated the work (submitter).
  
  
• If the entry is submitted by a second party, the communicator being nominated (entrant) must approve the entry. Please complete the written approval on the entry form. Entrant’s mailing address must be provided by the submitter.
  
  
• Enter as many categories as you wish, but a separate form and entry fee is required for each entry. You may make more than one submission to a single category, as long as the entries are distinctly different, warrant separate consideration and each has its own entry form. Select the categories carefully, as all entries will be judged based on the category in which they have been submitted.
  
  
• All entries must have hard copy of originals.
  
  
• All writing entries must be in the English language in order to provide fair competition and judging.
  
  
• Written material must be submitted in published form, not as a manuscript.
  
  
• When submitting a column in the writing category, choose one article to submit.  Judging and award recognition will be based on the article not on the entire column.
  
  
• Photography, illustration and graphic design entries must include tearsheets or clippings. Do not send the entire publication unless the entire publication is being entered.
  
  
• Entries should not be mounted or enclosed in a notebook.
  
  
• Video entries must be submitted in duplicate in DVD format.
  
  
• Entrants wishing confirmation of receipt of their entry should enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard.

Entries are judged on a sliding scale with awards presented on two levels:

• Gold Award for Best Talent or Product:
  The Gold GWA Media Award for Best Talent or Product recognizes the best entries in both the artistic talent category, including writing: magazine, newspaper, book, newsletter/brochure, photography, on-air radio/television, graphic design and illustration, and the product category, including books, newspapers, magazines, radio/television programs, calendars, websites and others.
  
  
• Silver Award of Achievement:
  The Silver GWA Media Award of Achievement represents exceptional work in each entry category. These recipients qualify for the Gold GWA Media Award for Best Talent or Product.