SHORT SHORT STORY CONTEST

Are you a closet writer? Do you have a flair for brevity? Take our challenge and write a short  short story using 30 words (or less).

This contest supports Reading Works, a community-based nonprofit that enriches the lives of adults and their families by increasing their literacy skills through free one-on-one tutoring or small group instruction.

Contest Rules

• Create a 30-word short short story of any genre.
• Contest participants may submit five stories per category.​

Submission Information

• Electronic submissions only by email to shortstory@reading-works.org.
• Submissions must be in English.
• Submissions must be typed, 12-pt Arial font.
• Each file must include the contestant’s name. 
• Submissions must be formatted in .doc, .docx, or pdf and include the contestant’s name.
• Submissions will be accepted till January 10, 2020.
• All ages welcome.

Entry Fees
$5 per story (pay for submissions below)

Categories

• Sushi
• Huckleberry Finn’s Mother
• Caterpillars
• Breakfast
• Pianos

Judging
Stories will be judged on creativity, narrative cohesion, and word use.

Prizes & Public Reading

• Cash Prizes: 5 Best-of-Category Prizes, $50 each, and 1 Best Story, $100
• Winners and runners-up will be announced and invited to a public reading in Albuquerque. If you can’t attend, a professional actor will read your story. (Date to be determined.)
• The winning stories will be posted on our website, as well as social media.
• All winners will receive a firstwriter.com voucher worth $15, allowing them to take out a free subscription to firstwriter.com, providing access to details of hundreds of publishers, literary agents, writing competitions, and magazines.

For more information, visit https://www.reading-works.org/short-short-story-writing-contest.html

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