calendar - Fractured

flash fiction OPEN

May 11 to July 13, 2025

The guest judge will choose one grand-prize winner and 15 finalists from a shortlist. The first-place winner will receive $2,000 and publication, while the 15 finalists will receive $100 and publication. All entries will be considered for general publication. Judge Gwen Kirby.

elsewhere prize

July 17 to September 14, 2025

For this contest, we want writers to show us the forgotten, the hidden, the otherworldly. Be our tour guide through reality and beyond.

For this prize, we are accepting micro, flash, and sudden fiction, so we’re inviting submissions of stories from 100-1,500 words.

We're excited to offer the winner of this prize $2,000 and publication, while the second- and third-place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively. All entries will be considered for publication. Judge: TBA

fast flash prompt challenge

September 15 to November 16, 2025

We're challenging writers to create 500 word story(s) in 2 weeks or less! You're invited to submit to the Fast Flash Challenge! This challenge is going to be a bit different: we'll have two Rounds, and you can submit to both. Dates TBA

Each round will have its own prompt, and after both are complete, we'll select the top 40 writers to enter the Finals. In the Finals, you'll receive a brand new prompt and have another two weeks to write your best new story.

micro prize

December 01 to February 01, 2026

Fractured Lit has always been a place that celebrates the use of writing craft to tell small stories with big impacts. In the return of our Micro Prize, we want to honor stories of 400 words or fewer that tell a complete story and have us marveling at the depth of character and language. We're excited to offer the first-place winner of this prize $2,500 and publication, while the second- and third-place place winners will receive publication and $600 and $400, respectively. All entries will be considered for publication. Judge TBA

micro & flash

always open

submit

Fractured Lit publishes microfiction and flash fiction from writers of any background or experience. Both the micro and flash categories are open year-round and with no submission fees. We accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform us immediately and withdraw your work if your story is accepted elsewhere. We pay our authors $50 for original microfiction and $75 for original flash fiction.

Microfiction for Fractured Lit is 400 words or fewer.

Flash fiction is 401-1,000 words.