Related Resources:
- What is Flash Fiction? A Complete Guide (blog post)
- How to Write Flash Fiction (blog post)
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DIRECTORY
Showing 78 contests that match your search.
Cranked Anvil Press
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
Our quarterly flash fiction competition is open for entries all year round. The competition is open to any theme or genre, and your story must be a maximum of 500 words (not including the title). You can enter up to two stories in each quarterly competition ($3 to enter one story, $5 for two).
Top Prize:
£100
Additional prizes:
£25, publication online
💰 Entry fee: $3
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
Alpine Fellowship
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2023 - Flourishing. The winner of the Writing Prize will receive a cash prize, and the runners up will receive travel expense support that must be used to attend our 2023 symposium which will be held from 10th-13th August 2023 in Fjällnäs, Sweden
Top Prize:
£3,000 cash grant
Additional prizes:
2nd: £1,000 travel expense | 3rd: £1,000 travel expense
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Sunspot Literary Journal
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope
Top Prize:
$500 + publication
Additional prizes:
Runners-up and finalists are offered publication
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
Secant Publishing
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
We are seeking the year's best original short stories (fiction) devoted to the theme of global climate change and its human impact. We are interested in literary interpretations of how individuals and families, cities and nations are bearing the brunt of a world dominated by new extremes of weather, seasons, and eco-disasters. All genres welcome.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250 | Publication in anthology
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Globe Soup
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned a period in history. As soon as you receive your assignment, you'll have until the closing time to research, write, and submit a short story of no more than 4,000 words, set during this historical period.
Top Prize:
$1,131
💰 Entry fee: $17
📅 Deadline: October 28, 2022 (Expired)
Bath Flash Fiction Award
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
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, £100 for 3rd
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 02, 2024
Globe Soup
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned a genre pairing. As soon as you receive your ‘smashed’ genres you'll have until the closing time to write and submit a short story of any length up to 5,000 words, that perfectly and seamlessly combines both genres into one amazing short story.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $11
📅 Deadline: October 23, 2023 (Expired)
The Berlin Literary Review
Genres: Flash Fiction
The Berlin Literary Review is looking forward to receiving submissions from around the world (in English), for our Spring Flash Fiction Contest. Up to 1,500 words, and up to 660€ in awards.
Top Prize:
€660
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024
Brink Literacy Project
Genres: Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
For our contests, we seek writing that pushes boundaries and challenges us to think differently. We like work that features complex characters and strong narratives, and plays with genre, setting, voice, you name it. For Spring 2024, we have Wole Talabi judging Short Story, Sherrie Flick judging Flash Fiction, C. S. E. Cooney judging Poetry, and Marin Sardy judging Creative Nonfiction.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: November 03, 2024
Stories Through The Ages
Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Non-fiction
Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus 2023 is open to people born 1966 or earlier. The deadline for entries is June 15, 2023. There is no prompt for the contest. Authors may write about any topic. The entry fee is $20 ($15 if submitting more than one story). The word count for this contest is 900 - 5000 words. Cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 will be awarded. There will be a minimum of 15 finalists whose story will appear in the book.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd: $200 | 3rd: $100
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024
Ironclad Creative CIC
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller
We are looking for short stories that respond in any way to: 7:12am. You can use that in the text, as a theme, or any way you want. We accept any prose genre and any length of story up to 6k words. We’re looking for writers who have exciting voices and can move us - that can happen in any genre of prose. We’re not accepting plays or poetry for this competition.
Top Prize:
£100
Additional prizes:
2nd: £50 | 3rd & 4th: £25 | 10 short-listed entries: publication
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024
Hispanic Culture Review
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.
Top Prize:
$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)
Free Flash Fiction
Genres: Flash Fiction
Submit a flash fiction piece of between 100 and 300 words, on any theme.
Top Prize:
£150
Additional prizes:
2 Highly Commended: £40 | 3 shortlisted: £30 | Publication
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: April 23, 2024 (Expired)
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.
Top Prize:
$500 Editors' Choice award
Additional prizes:
$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Novella, and Thriller
Ghost novellas wanted from (but not limited to) underrepresented authors by April 31, 2024. Entries must be between 15,000-25,000 words, incorporating BIPOC cultures, traditions, and histories. Selected submissions receive $1000 USD and publication within Kinsman Quarterly’s journal and the “Presence” collection. $25 submission fee required.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and the "Presence" collection
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024
HAVOK Publishing
Genres: Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller
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.
📅 Deadline: May 03, 2024
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).
Top Prize:
$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Writers Alliance of Gainesville
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Bacopa Literary Review’s 2024 contest is open from March 4 through April 4, with $200 Prize and $100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Free Verse Poetry, Formal Poetry, and Visual Poetry.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
100
📅 Deadline: May 02, 2024
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
Open to writers from around the world, we’re offering a top prize of £1,000, a second prize of £300 and a third prize of £200. Any themes/genres are welcome but stories must be 1,000 words or fewer. The deadline is midnight (UK time) on Tuesday 30th April 2024 and £1.00 from each entry will be donated to the creative writing charity, First Story.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: £300 | 3rd: £200
💰 Entry fee: $13
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Short Story, and Thriller
Autumn is the season of rustling leaves, a chill in the air, and, of course, Halloween. In that spirit, we invite you to create the first line of a frightening story. But we want that first line to be so intriguing or chilling or scary that it makes our skin tingle and our nerves twitch.
Top Prize:
Free Gotham Writers class
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)
Ethos Literacy
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The challenge: write a story using 100 words on one of four topics. Open to all ages with a special prize for authors 14 years or younger. The contest supports nonprofit literacy programs.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
6 cash prizes of $100 each; publication in digital magazine, inclusion in webcast
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)
Lazuli Literary Group
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing
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 fee: $15
📅 Deadline: March 24, 2024 (Expired)
Writing Battle
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller
Three days to write a 1000 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.
Top Prize:
Genre Winner (x4): $2,000
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $500 | Feedback by industry professionals.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)
Bridport Arts Centre
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
It may be the sprint of creative writing but that doesn’t mean you can rush the creative process. Take us somewhere fast then let your story marinade in the reader's mind. Make every one of your 250 words count. There is no minimum number of words, just like there is no limit to your imagination. They say lightning doesn't strike twice but we want to feel the electricity in your story right from the beginning through to the very end.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
£500 for 2nd, £250 for 3rd
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024
WOW! Women On Writing
Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story
Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, great writing, and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants.
Top Prize:
$400
Additional prizes:
2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024
Gemini Magazine
Genres: Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
We hold three annual contests: Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Poetry. We are committed to keeping entry fees low so no one who wants to enter is excluded for financial reasons, and we sometimes waive fees for those in extreme circumstances. It’s not about the money—it’s about finding and publishing the best work available.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Gemini Magazine
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: January 04, 2024 (Expired)
So To Speak
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry
So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $4
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)
Onyx Publications
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller
Our contest provides a First, Second, and Third prize for both prose and poetry. There are no themes or special requirements so just send us your best work. We recommend you read through previous editions or listen to the works and author interviews on our Story Discovery Podcast to get a sense of the range of creativity we enjoy.
Top Prize:
$500 + publication and author interview on Story Discovery podcast
Additional prizes:
2nd: $150 | 3rd: $75
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2024
Writing Peers
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Romance, and Thriller
Are you seeking lots of feedback? Ever wondered what it’s like to step into the shoes of a jury? Pick one of our prompts and let your creativity soar. Submit your piece, then review other entries and develop an eye for what makes a story stand out. Receive detailed feedback, evolve as a writer and you might even walk away with the prize money!
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 21, 2024
Write the World
Genres: Flash Fiction
“There was more room to think,” wrote novelist David Gaffney on becoming a flash fiction convert, “more space for the original idea to resonate, fewer unnecessary words to wade through.” This month, gather your briefest bits of story, your flashes in a pan, your poetic impulses, and give us a story in 100 words or fewer.
Top Prize:
Best Entry: $100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50, Best Peer Review: $50
📅 Deadline: August 26, 2024
Writing Battle
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
Two days to write a 250 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.
Top Prize:
Genre Winner (x4): $1,500
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 | Feedback by industry professionals
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: August 02, 2024
Warm Mug of Cozy
Genres: Crime, Flash Fiction, Mystery, and Short Story
Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our first Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology. Theme: No restriction, as long as your story follows the classic rules of Cozy Mystery.
Top Prize:
2% royalties per published story ($)
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024
Hayden's Ferry Review
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Poetry
HFR will accept contest submissions in poetry and fiction between Feb 1-29, 2024. This year’s poetry judge is Diana Khoi Nguyen, author of Ghost Of and Root Fractures. This year’s fiction judge is Venita Blackburn, author of How to Wrestle a Girl and Dead in Long Beach, California. There will be two prizes of $1,500 each and publication in Hayden’s Ferry Review (online in summer 2024 and in the fall/winter 2024 print issue) for a poem or a group of poems and a work of fiction. A runner-up in each category will receive $250 and publication. All entries are considered for publication.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Runners-up: $250
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
Anthology Magazine
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction on any theme in the English language by writers of any nationality. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. Max 250 words.
Top Prize:
€300
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024
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