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“The Best LGBTQ+ Short Stories
Over the past fifteen years or so, LGBTQ+ and queer fiction has veritably exploded — what we might call a long-overdue reckoning after many years of literary scarcity. Because while it’s true that LGBTQ+ creators have long been part of the literary scene (Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Patricia Highsmith, Truman Capote, and countless more), it’s only recently that they’ve been able to acknowledge their identities without fear of persecution... and even more recently that their stories have become accepted fare for mainstream fiction.
Fortunately, times have very much changed. Trailblazing authors like David Levithan and Sarah Waters proved that readers were hungry for LGBTQ+ fiction and representation, and since the early aughties, this trend has only been on the rise. Bestselling novels like Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and The Miseducation of Cameron Post have been turned into blockbuster films, and just about every YA agent out there has “own-voices LGBTQ+ stories” on their manuscript wish list.
However, don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s anything close to a surplus of these stories! Not only do many incredible LGBTQ+ stories remain as-yet untold, but when you think about it, there are hardly any of them in the mainstream when compared to straight, cis narratives — which is why it’s such good news that this trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
Read the best new LGBTQ+ stories right here
If you’re searching for brand-new LGBTQ+ and queer fiction (especially of the short variety) you’ll be pleased with what you find here. This page is home to all the LGBTQ+ stories submitted to our Reedsy short fiction contest, whether as part of a related prompt or simply to tell an LGBTQ+ story that touches readers’ hearts and minds.
From romance to drama to post-apocalyptic fare, some of the contest’s best entries have involved LGBTQ+ characters and narratives — as you’ll see from the many starred stories at the top of the page! Click on the previews to read each one, and remember to “like” and comment on your favorites, as well “follow” the authors you love. What’s more, if you feel the urge to write, indulge it by entering the contest yourself! Simply sign up to our writing prompts newsletter to receive the next edition and unleash your inner creativity. You'll be in with a chance of receiving our cash prize — plus the chance to appear in Prompted, our new literary magazine!
