What we love about this contest is that there are no themes or restrictions on style. We want your most innovative and resonant flash and microfictions. Send us those pieces that lift us up, that take us down, that make us feel alive. Write that story you have been obsessing over, that has you by the throat or the heart, that needs to find its readers. We love stories that reveal their characters in unique and soulful ways, that put us into the middle of the action, that make us feel something more than our usual realities. Take us through realism, fabulism, and everything in-between.
Good luck and happy writing.
My favorite thing to find in a story is the thing I am not expecting, and I think it's doubly true with flash! I love to read a flash story and think, wow, that could only be pulled off in 1,000 words. That conceit, that voice, that moment, it's too big and wild and bright to last a moment longer, it had to come to life on flash's knife's edge. So I am looking for stories that surprise me and that use the form to its limits and to its strengths.
guidelines
- Your $20 reading fee allows up to two stories of 1,000 words or fewer each per entry—if submitting two stories, please put them both in a SINGLE document.
- Writers from historically marginalized groups may submit for free (we have met our cap, so now closed) until we reach a cap of 25 submissions in this category. No additional fee waivers will be granted for this contest.
- We allow multiple submissions—each set of two flash/micro stories requires a separate submission accompanied by a reading fee.
- Please send flash and microfiction only—1,000 word count maximum per story.
- We only consider unpublished work for contests—we do not review reprints, including self-published work (even on blogs and social media). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.
- Simultaneous submissions are okay—please notify us and withdraw your entry if you find another home for your writing.
- All entries will also be considered for publication in Fractured Lit.
- Double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12 (or larger if needed).
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable). In the cover letter, please include content warnings as well, to safeguard our reading staff.
- We only read work in English, though some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.
- We do not read anonymous submissions. However, shortlisted stories are sent anonymously to the judge.
- Unless specifically requested, we do not accept AI-generated work. For this contest, AI-generated work will be automatically disqualified.
Some Submittable Hot Tips:
- Please be sure to whitelist/add this address to your contacts, so notifications do not get filtered as spam/junk: notifications@email.submittable.com.
- If you realize you sent the wrong version of your piece: It happens. Please DO NOT withdraw the piece and resubmit. Submittable collects a nonrefundable fee each time. Please DO message us from within the submission to request that we open the entry for editing, which will allow you to fix everything from typos in your cover letter to uploading a new draft. The only time we will not allow a change is if the piece is already under review by a reader.
OPTIONAL EDITORIAL FEEDBACK:
You may choose to receive editorial feedback on your piece. In your cover letter, please let us know which piece you'd like your editor to focus their review on. We will provide a two-page global letter discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. Our aim is to make our comments actionable and encouraging. These letters are written by editors and staff readers of Fractured Lit. Should your story win, no feedback will be offered, and your fee will be refunded.