Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of people of color short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

430+ People of Color Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. The world is colorful and diverse, and so your reading list should be. Discover a multitude of experiences and perspectives with this collection of short stories written about and by people of color.

⭐️ Recommended stories

Introducing Prompted, a new magazine written by you!

🏆 Featuring 12 prize-winning stories from our community. Download it now for FREE.

✍️ All stories

The Best Short Stories by People of Color

The works of people of color in English-language literature is not something new, but their presence has been limited for a long time. Save for outstanding award-winning authors and their novels, such as Gabriel Garciå Mårquez and his magical realist masterpieces or Toni Morrison and her hauntingly raw works of fiction, books by and about people of color have historically occupied a small corner of the market. 

But that’s no reason to despair, because recent years have seen an increase in these beautiful, eye-opening tales. Poems, novels, and short stories by people of color have the ability to shed light on a variety of cultures and struggles that we’ve long overlooked in an empathetic, exciting, and heartfelt way. From adventure-packed sci-fi to captivating psychological thrillers, from solemn historical fiction to introspective contemporary tales, this genre of literature takes readers through a spectrum of perspectives full of compassion and creativity. 

Looking for fresh new POC stories?

Why not give our collection of POC short stories a look? Penned by a diverse range of budding writers who participate in our weekly contest, these narratives provide incredible insight into the experiences that humans have across the world. At the top of the list are stories that have stood out from hundreds of other submissions — they demonstrate an adept use of language to uncover interesting themes. 

And if you’ve got a story of your own, why not share it with our community in an upcoming contest? It’s free to join, and you might even walk away with the cash prize — and the chance to appear in Prompted, our new literary magazine!

RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.