If you've ever wanted to write an episode of the Twilight Zone, this is for you!

The Rod Serling Short Script Competition is accepting entries:

Entries are now being accepted for the Rod Serling Conference's Short Feature Scriptwriting competition. The conference is scheduled for November 2013 in Los Angeles.

The script competition is open to non-produced or non-optioned writers only. The deadline for entries is Monday, April 15, 2013.

First Place: $250
Second Place: $150
Third Place: $100

The Top 5 will be read by Carol Serling.

For complete rules and submissions guidelines, click here.

Serling taught at Ithaca College from 1967 until his death in 1975. Ithaca College is also home to the Rod Serling Archives consisting of television scripts, movie screenplays, stage play scripts, films, published works by Serling, unproduced scripts, and secondary materials. 

Per the official rules, entries should be "in the same genre and spirit that would have been suitable to conform with episodes for either The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery.  More specifically this means displaying traits of either a horror or a science fiction genre, while exhibiting strong traditional or contemporary social themes."  To help out, they kindly provide a sample Night Gallery script, Class of '99.

I was also thrilled to learn that the Rod Serling Conference will be in L.A. this year.  Hopefully the Brother and I can score tickets.

Updated 4/16/13: The deadline for entries has been extended to April 30.  And I for one am glad to hear it.