The Best Flash Fiction Writing Contests of 2022
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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Join our short story competition
Submit a short story based on 1 of 5 weekly prompts. Winners get $250.
Showing 66 contests
7 Day Story Writing Challenge
Globe Soup
Register now for our next 7-day story writing challenge. A secret theme, a randomly assigned genre and just 7 days to write a story of no more than 2,000 words. Our 7 day story writing challenges take place throughout the year. The challenges are free and you can even get feedback on your story. Take part in one challenge or take part in all of them!
Top prize
£500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: June 01, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestGeorge Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest
Third Wednesday
The editors of Third Wednesday wish to honor the memory of George Dila, friend of Third Wednesday and the editor who originally brought fiction to 3W. To this end, we proudly announce the opening of The George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest. We accept entries of previously unpublished stories of under 1000 words in length (including title).
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication in Third Wednesday magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $6
Deadline: August 15, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestTWFest Very Short Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 1,000 words. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of short fiction with an ISBN.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: October 15, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestFusilli Flash Fiction
Fusilli Writing
Free flash fiction competition for stories up to 200 words with a twist. Competition always open, with a winner announced and published online after 100 entries received (story count on website). Feedback and the PDF ‘An introduction the writing good flash fiction’ offered for (£5 or equivalent).
Top prize
Publication on website
Additional prizes
Social media promotion
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: December 31, 2022
Genres
Flash Fiction
View contestFanstory Writing Contests
Fanstory
Subscribe to Fanstory for $9.95 a month and enter as many contests as you like from their list of writing and poetry contests, updated daily. All participants receive feedback from a community of writers, and the winner of each contest receives a cash prize of up to $100.
Top prize
Cash prizes of up to $100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: January 31, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestFiction Factory Flash Fiction
Fiction Factory
We welcome previously unpublished stories (max 1,000 words) on any theme. Our judge is looking for freshness, originality and strongly drawn characters.
Top prize
£200
Additional prizes
£50, £25
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $7
Deadline: November 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Crime, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
View contestMarch Micro Writing Competition
Globe Soup
We accept: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Each month has a theme. You have just 100 words to write something interesting, unique, and impactful based on the theme. Entry to your first contest is £3, after that you can enter all subsequent contests for free each month. You can get peer feedback on your entry too. The theme this month is: Yellow/Orange.
Top prize
$133
Additional prizes
Publication on our website
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $4
Deadline: March 14, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry
View contestBlurred Genres Flash Contest
Invisible City
Invisible City's Blurred Genres Flash Contest, judged by Lynn Steger Strong, is open for free submissions March 1 through 31. $500 to first place, $200 to second, $100 to third, and publication for the top five. Entries must be 750 words or less unpublished flash fiction, prose poetry, or something in between.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
$200 to second, $100 to third, publication for top 5
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, Poetry
View contestGeminga: $250 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art
Sunspot Lit
Authors and artists eligible. Sunspot Lit’s Geminga contest honors the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category. $250 cash, publication for the winner, and publication offered to runners-up and finalists. Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission.
Top prize
$250
Additional prizes
Publication in digital and print
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestVoice.Club - Flash Fiction Writing Contest
Voice.Club
Express yourself in a supportive, family-friendly community, as you develop your writing skills. Voice.club is a family-friendly platform where creators can express themselves in a supportive environment. Our recurring writing contests have attracted talented writers from all over the world. This month, our prompt is “Time”. Sometimes it passes too quickly, sometimes not quickly enough. We spend it, waste it, measure it, stretch it, save it – but we never have quite enough of it. Time may be our most precious commodity. It is free, and yet infinitely precious. We invite you to write a story of 350 words or less with a theme of “Time”. The contest page even has links to some of our past winners, to inspire you! Our team will select the Grand Prize Winner and two Runners Up. There will be also be a public voting component to select three other winners, so there are two paths to winning! Join our free club and receive valuable feedback from a supportive community, make new friends and improve your writing. You may even be published in our eBooks Collection!
Top prize
$50 USD / $25 USD - Amazon Gift Cards
Additional prizes
Publication Online, Alexa and eBooks
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: March 12, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestLazuli Literary Group Writing Contest
Lazuli Literary Group
We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: May 22, 2022
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, Script Writing
View contestWOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest
WOW! Women On Writing
Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants.
Top prize
$400
Additional prizes
Interview on WOW! Blog, $25 Amazon gift card
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Genres
Flash Fiction, Fiction, Short Story
View contestFlash Fiction Award
Bath Flash Fiction Award
In addition to winning cash prizes, entrants have the opportunity to appear in our print and digital anthology collections. Our books are published by the award-winning small press Ad Hoc Fiction, and are available to buy from their own independent bookshop as well as worldwide from Amazon. 300 word limit.
Top prize
£1000
Additional prizes
£300 for 2nd, £200 for 3rd
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: June 05, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestF(r)iction Flash Fiction Contest
F(r)iction
We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. You may submit up to three entires for $12. A single entry is $10. Each entry can be up to 1,000 words long.
Top prize
$300
Additional prizes
Considered for publication in F(r)iction
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: April 28, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contest2023 Book Prize
Unleash Press
Writers are invited to submit novels, short story collections and creative nonfiction manuscripts. The Editors' Prize winner receives a publication contract with Unleash Press and $1000 prize, along with 10 printed copies of the final book. We may also offer publication contracts to additional outstanding manuscripts.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publishing contract
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $35
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story
View contest100 Word Writing Contest
Tadpole Press
100 words per entry. Submit as many entries as you’d like. All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. This year's theme is the power of words. The words we write, the words we say, the words we keep to ourselves. They make a difference in the lives of those around us. How can you use your words to instill a sense of calm, of hope, of community? To remind one another of the beauty of diversity. To encourage us to support, love, and inspire one another.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
2nd: writing coach package 3rd: developmental or diversity editing package.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: April 30, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestBiopage Storytelling Writing Contest
Biopage
Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or once chapter of your stories) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You can write about good life experience, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each.
Top prize
$300
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction
View contestFlash Fiction Battle
Writing Battle
Writing Battle is a creative writing competition for writers, by writers. Light on battle. Heavy on fun and friendship (but still somewhat battle-like). Receive prompts, write a short story, then judge each other's stories. Win cash and get feedback from your peers. Join the battle!
Top prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Feedback by industry professionals. Guaranteed feedback by at least 5 of your peers.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: August 05, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestNewbie Flash Fiction
FanStory.com Inc.
The challenge of this writing contest is to share a story that uses exactly 100 words. Write about anything but can you share a complete story with only 100 words?
Top prize
$100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: October 18, 2022
Genres
Flash Fiction
View contestSix Word Wonder Contest
Six Word Wonder
To win, write a six word story, poem, memoir, or joke. Free to enter, with the chance to get your tiny creation published, and you crowned as the Six Word Wonder - winning $100. Last year's contest had over 3,300 entries, with over 100 short-listed. Every writer gets six free entries to play with.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication in next book in the Six Word Wonder series
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: November 30, 2022
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Short Story
View contestTypewriter Awards
League of Utah Writers
The Typewriter Awards are open to members of the League of Utah Writers for shorter creative writing work published in 2021 or 2022 before the contest deadline.
Top prize
Trophy
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: May 13, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestOlive Woolley Burt Awards For Creative Writing
League of Utah Writers
The Olive Woolley Burt Awards are open to the general public for previously unpublished work. Discounts for entry given to members of the League of Utah Writers.
Top prize
$150
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: May 13, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestParsec Short Story Contest
Parsec Inc.
The theme for the 2022 contest is: Hearth, Song, and Table. We ask that authors try and incorporate at least two of the three concepts into their speculative work. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. All stories must be of the Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror genres and no more than 3,500 words.
Top prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in the 2022 Confluence program book
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: May 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Short Story
View contestInvictus Prep Young Writers Creative Writing Contest
Invictus Prep
The Invictus Prep Young Writers Creative Writing Contest is an amazing chance for emerging writers to showcase their talents and win prize money! We hold contests for both high school and college students in the poetry and short story categories. Winners will be featured on our website and awarded cash prizes. No entry fee required. Entrants retain all publication rights. Contests run from January 15th, 2022 to May 15th, 2022. We look forward to reading your work!
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication on website
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: May 15, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestDandy Writers Short Story Contest
Dandy Writers
Submit a story of no more than 200 words. Your submission must be in line with the theme of the month. A writer is only permitted to submit one application per month. No more than one application. No plagiarism, even if it’s your work already published. Your work must be yours. Your data entered must be accurate. You must pay the entry fee. Note: Failure to comply with these rules will result to your application cancelled. And your entry fee will not be refunded. Thanks as you obey these rules.
Top prize
$300
Additional prizes
Writing Job
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: May 30, 2023
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Short Story
View contestTrue Story Flash
FanStory.com Inc.
Share your flash fiction story. But for this contest we aren't looking for fiction. Rather share your true story with only 100 words. Cash prize!
Top prize
$100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: May 27, 2022
Genres
Flash Fiction, Non-fiction
View contestIndignor Play House Annual Short Story Annual Competition
Indignor House Publishing
Indignor House Publishing is proud to introduce the start of our annual writing competition with the first award and publication in August of 2022. Submissions will be accepted starting September 1st of each previous year and closing on March 31st of the publication year. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual book publication. Book format will be in three media formats (hardback with jacket, softback, and e-book). Every year, a theme will be announced in June for the next year’s competition. The 2022-year theme is RESENTMENT and short stories can be of any genre. Maximum word count for short stories is up to 5,000 words.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in Annual Book, trophy and certificate
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestStringybark Open Short Story Award 2021
Stringybark Publishing
We are looking for great short stories that address any theme that grabs you. But to just make life not too easy, the story has two stipulations. Firstly, it is to be written for those over the age of 16 and secondly, it must have a link, no matter how tenuous, to Australia. 1500 word limit.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $14
Deadline: February 13, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Mystery, Short Story, Crime, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestCreate The Future Climate Writing and Solarpunk Competition
Create the Future
Create The Future is running a free global writing competition to help us imagine a better earth for all. All winning entries will be published in a global anthology alongside experts and changemakers. We’d like you to answer the question “What does a sustainable future look like to you? What happens when we dare to dream?” Submissions are open for short fiction (up to 2,000 words) and poetry (up to 40 lines).
Top prize
£50
Additional prizes
Eco lifestyle bundles and publication in global anthology
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: February 13, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestDesperate Literature Prize for Short Fiction
Desperate Literature
The aim of the Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is both to celebrate the best of new short fiction and to give winners the most visibility possible for their writing. We value fiction that pushes some boundary or another, that wakes us up and shows us something vital and surprising about the world. We are a bookshop and organization based in Madrid, Spain, but our contest welcomes English-language fiction from around the world. There are no geographical limits to enter, but stories must be previously unpublished, and under 2,000 words. Judges for the 2022 prize are Ottessa Moshfegh and Joanna Walsh. Sponsorships and discounted entry fees available; see our website. 1st place: a week's residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, consultation with a UK literary agent, manuscript consultation. One shortlister is offered an additional residency or opportunity at the Writers’ House of Georgia, Tbilisi. Top 11 stories are published in our magazine and in our partner journals.
Top prize
€1,500
Additional prizes
2nd and 3rd place: €750
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $23
Deadline: April 15, 2020 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestWriter's Digest Short Short Story Competition
Writer's Digest
We’re looking for short fiction stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Enter the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! One 1st Place Winner will receive: $3,000 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot The 2nd Place Winner will receive: $1,500 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue The 3rd Place Winner will receive: $500 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue 4th - 10th Place Winners will receive: $100 in cash, their short story titles published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue 11th - 25th Place Winners will receive: A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
Top prize
$3,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: January 17, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestThe Masters Review Short Story Contest
The Masters Review
Welcome to our Short Story Award for New Writers, bi-annual contest that recognizes the best fiction from today’s emerging writers. Judging this year’s contest is Ye Chun, author of Hao, a collection of stories recently longlisted for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence. Entries must be under 6,000 words.
Top prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Second and third place prizes ($300 / $200, publication, and agency review)
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestWild Atlantic Writing Awards (WAWA)
Ireland Writing Retreat
Welcome to the fifth ‘Wild Atlantic Writing Awards’ (WAWA) competition to welcome the New Year which we hope will provide challenge, diversion and enjoyment for you over the holidays and into next year as well. As with all our competitions, there will be two separate categories - flash fiction and creative nonfiction. And we’ve decided on an intriguing theme for both - TIME.
Top prize
€1000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $11
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, Non-fiction
View contestSeason Themes
HAVOK Publishing
HAVOK is a constant flash fiction contest, with rolling deadlines. Each season is split into monthly competitions with thematically connected prompts in a range of genres.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication in an anthology. Potential for larger gift card wins.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller
View contest#GWstorieseverywhere
Gotham Writers
Each month we invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere.
Top prize
Gotham Writers Workshop
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contest
