Ready to test your writing skills? We're back with a new microfiction challenge! Constraints like themes and word counts are great for engaging and encouraging our imaginations, and we can't wait to read your new micro stories!

We're challenging writers to create new stories of up to 400 words within eleven days! You're invited to submit to the Fractured Lit Micro Challenge from April 27 to May 7, 2023.

We're excited to offer the winner of this prize $500 and publication. All entries will be considered for publication at our regular rate of $50.

Challenge Prompt

For this challenge, we want stories based on the theme of "Sacrifice and Forgiveness." We want stories where characters make sacrifices and attempt to gain forgiveness. Center your story's conflict around the chosen theme—use implication and fresh language to make us feel something new. Show us characters acting and reacting when faced with the pressure of making a sacrifice for a loved one, an enemy, or a stranger. Dazzle us with unique and specific plots and story structures. Use the aesthetics of brevity and constraint to focus on the "Hot Spot" in that character's life. Think about a scene that will reveal that character’s life in a way that no other moment would. Make that moment sparkle.

How It Works:

1. You write some flash fiction! Stick to 400 words or fewer for each story submitted, and make sure you utilize the prompt above. Every submitted story should be original and written within this eleven-day window.
2. You send us your stories! Each submission of up to three stories requires a $20 reading fee. Make sure to put all submitted stories into a single document. Double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12. Stories should be written primarily in English, but some code-switching is welcome. Every story will be considered for publication in our regular issue as well.
3. In ten to twelve weeks, we'll announce the winner! We’ll award $500 to the winner along with publication in Fractured Lit.

Guidelines:

• We only consider unpublished work for contests—we do not review reprints, including self-published work (even on blogs and social media).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.
• Multiple entries are also okay—but each submission (of up to three 400-word stories) must be accompanied by a separate reading fee of $20.

Some Submittable Hot Tips:

• Please be sure to whitelist/add to contacts this email address 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 FEEDBACK ON YOUR WRITING

You may choose to receive editorial feedback on your piece. We will provide a 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.

Good luck and happy writing!

Best, Tommy and the Fractured Team