Genre: Fiction

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

The Time Is Now
2.11.26

On again and off again, breaking up and making up, will they or won’t they—romances are oftentimes full of ups and downs. Write a short story that revolves around a phase of fluctuations in a romantic relationship between two characters. You might choose to have the events of the narrative unfold in just the span of a day or two, or, if the story takes place over the course of months or years, you could spotlight vignettes of intense emotion when the characters are splitting up or getting back together. Whose point of view works most effectively for the tale you wish to tell? Are there elements of comedy, tragedy, horror, or suspense?

Book Prize

Crook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$35
Deadline: 
May 15, 2026
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel primarily set in the American South. Authors living anywhere are eligible. Self-published books are accepted, but books available only as e-books are not. Katy Simpson Smith will judge. Authors and publishers may submit two copies of a book (or bound galleys) published between January 1, 2025, and May 15, 2026, with a $35 entry fee postmarked by May 15. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction

Ursula K. Le Guin Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
A prize of $25,000 is given annually for a book of fiction published in the previous year that “reflects the concepts and ideas that were central to [Ursula K. Le Guin’s] own work, including but not limited to: hope, equity, and freedom; non-violence and alternatives to conflict; and a holistic view of humanity’s place in the natural world.” Nominate a book-length work of imaginative fiction published in 2025 during the month of March. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Short Story Contest

Gemini Magazine
Entry Fee: 
$10
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gemini Magazine is given annually for a short story. The editors will judge. Submit a story of any length with a $10 entry fee by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Tags: 
short stories

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Winning Writers
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
May 1, 2026
Two prizes of $3,500 each, two gift certificates for two-year memberships to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website are given annually for a short story and an essay. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Tamra Badgett and Sarah Halper will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a short story or essay of up to 6,000 words with a $25 entry fee by May 1. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Supernatural Fiction Award

Ghost Story
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
April 30, 2026
A prize of $1,500 and publication on the Ghost Story website is given biannually for a short story with a supernatural or magical realist theme. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 1,500 to 10,000 words with a $20 entry fee by April 30. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

100-Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
April 30, 2026
A prize of $1,000 is given biannually for a work of flash poetry or prose. Submit a work of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction of up to 100 words with a $15 entry fee by April 30. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Maya Angelou Book Award

Kansas City Public Library
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
April 1, 2026
A prize of $10,000 is given in alternating years for a poetry collection or a book of fiction by an author whose work “demonstrates a commitment to social justice.” This year the award will be given to a work of fiction. The winner agrees to participate in a two-week reading tour at partnering educational institutions in Missouri. Publishers may submit a digital copy or five print copies (or unbound galleys) of a novel or short story collection published between January 1, 2025, and November 30, 2026, by April 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Susan Kamil Emerging Writers Prize

Book Industry Charitable Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
Five prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for an excerpt of a poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction manuscript-in-progress written by a bookseller. Writers who are working on full-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction (including graphic novels), or creative nonfiction (including memoirs), who have not previously published a book in any genre, and who are currently employed at a bookstore or comic bookstore in the United States (after at least three consecutive months of employment) are eligible.

Short Fiction Prize

Desperate Literature
Entry Fee: 
$23
Deadline: 
April 19, 2026
A prize of €2,000 (approximately $2,334), publication in the Desperate Literature prize anthology, and a weeklong residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation’s castle in the Umbria region of Italy is given annually for a work of short fiction. Winners also receive a consultation with literary agent Charlotte Seymour (Johnson & Alcock Literary Agency), an editorial meeting with the Literary Consultancy, and the opportunity to give readings at the Desperate Literature bookshop in Madrid. Two runners-up receive €1,000 each (approximately $1,167). Claire-Louise Bennett, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Joanna Walsh will judge. All entries will be considered for publication in Bennington Review, Folly, Helter Skelter, Kill Your Darlings, London Magazine, Minor Literature[s], Souvenir Magazine, and Tenement and by Monitor Books. Submit a story of up to 2,000 words with a €20 (approximately $23) entry fee by April 19. To apply for a full or partial fee waiver, submit by April 1. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

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