ghost stories, fairy tales, and fractured fables prize
December 01 to February 04, 2024
Fractured Lit is looking for stories of ghosts, fables, and fractured fairy tales in 1,000 words or fewer. Whichever tradition you choose, make sure you find a new way to approach it, to twist and discombobulate it, so it pushes us away from the mundane and into the strange or uncanny. Transport us from the here and now to a new land of discovery, a fresh way of being entertained that embraces all of the ways we show our humanness.
chapbook prize
February 15 to April 14, 2023
For the first time, we're accepting chapbooks of flash fiction! The winner receives a $2,000 cash prize, along with manuscript publication and 50 contributor copies. This chapbook will be distributed internationally and will be available through Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. A digital version of the chapbook will be made available to our newsletter subscribers six months to a year after the print publication. This year's judge is W. Todd Kaneko.
fast flash challenge
April 24 to May 05, 2024
We're challenging writers to create 1,000 word story(s) in 2 weeks or less! Theme TBA.
feedback lab
June 01 to June 30, 2024
Need some help getting that draft ready to submit? Our feedback editors love to help writers refresh and finish drafts and get them ready for submission season!
flash fiction OPEN
May 11 to July 14, 2024
Our guest judge (tba) 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.
micro & flash
always open
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.