We Are Writers
Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition 2027 | Writers & Artists
To enter, all you have to do is submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of celebration via our online competition form, and ensure that you have a (free!) account on our website. The closing date for entries is midnight 12th February 2027, and the winner - along with two runners-up - will be announced on the blog pages of this site in March 2027.
CAAB Publishing – Deadline October
Tales of the Winter Festival invites young writers to step into this magical season and share their imagination with the world. Your story might be about a lantern festival glowing against the dark winter sky, a family tradition that warms the coldest night, a mysterious winter carnival, or a celebration from your own culture, or even one you invent entirely. It can be joyful, thrilling, funny, adventurous, cozy, or a little bit spooky. What matters most is your voice.
We are calling on children and young people aged 6–16 from around the world to submit their original winter festival themed stories. Whether you love writing a few paragraphs or penning epic adventures, this is your chance to shine. Stories must be no longer than 2,000 words, so choose your moments carefully and make every sentence sparkle.
Write a story told from the viewpoint of a child. You can share a true memory from your own childhood or create a fictional story. Focus on how a child would see it. No poetry.
The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Nov 6th
Got a story to tell? Whether it's a funny anecdote an interesting true story or a take on life that's spiritual or political enter it in this contest. No poetry.
The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Oct 1st
Write a story centered around a character who never physically appears in the piece. The unseen character should influence the events, dialogue, or tension of the story, even though they are never shown directly. No poetry. The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Oct 10th
We all experience times in life that leave us different from who we were before. For this contest, write about a time that changed you - it could be a single moment, a season or a long journey of growth. Up to 2,000 words. No poetry. The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Oct 18th
Share your best horror story or thriller. Whether supernatural, psychological, or realistic, all writing styles are welcome. 5,000 words or less. No poetry. The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Oct 31st
This Sentence Starts The Story Contest
Write a story that begins with the following sentence: It started as a normal day until it wasn't.
Your story must open with this exact sentence. You may place it in quotation marks if it is part of dialogue and adjust punctuation as needed for proper grammar. After that opening line, the story may go in any direction you choose. Mystery, suspense, humour, or realism are all welcome. No poetry. The winner takes away a cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline: Nov 26th
Competition Opens: Mon, Sep 7, 2026
Request Expert Feedback (Optional): Mon, Sep 14, 2026
Competition Closes: Mon, Sep 28, 2026
Winners Announced: Fri, Oct 16, 2026
“In a lot of ways, I think that a novel is a nesting doll of short stories,” says author and former Guest Judge Rowana Miller. “Each paragraph is an extremely short story; each scene is a piece of flash fiction; each chapter is a classic short story.” Miller believes that no matter the length, fiction writing calls for the same crucial components: compelling characters, a rich sense of place, intentional pacing, and a clear narrative arc.
This month, dear writers, you have 1,000 words. If you participated in last month’s flash fiction competition, you practiced refinement and precision with short-form writing. Now you can apply those skills to an extended story, expanding on those central fiction techniques by adding more vivid descriptions, rounding out your characters, and answering any questions your readers might have had! (Note: While you are welcome to submit a longer version of the flash story you entered last month, this is NOT a requirement—you are equally welcome to submit a new story entirely).
**PRIZES**
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Winner will receive $100, plus a Blackwing walnut pencil box with 24 premium graphite pencils and a hardcover notebook (valued at $160).
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Runner-Up will receive $50, plus a Blackwing notebook essentials set with 4 premium graphite pencils, a hardcover notebook, and sharpener (valued at $80).
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Best Peer Review will receive $50, plus a Blackwing set of 4 premium graphite pencils and hardcover notebook (valued at $50).
Competition Opens: Mon, Oct 5, 2026
Request Expert Feedback (Optional): Mon, Oct 12, 2026
Competition Closes: Mon, Oct 26, 2026
Winners Announced: Fri, Nov 13, 2026
“Law is much more than the way we resolve disputes; it sets the boundaries for society,” says United States Court of Appeals Judge and former Guest Judge The Honorable Seth Aframe. “It is unsurprising that law appears in most areas of writing including fiction and personal narrative, which are often about our own place in the society in which we live.” A desire for justice and order underpins human society and exists at the foundation of storytelling. From the earliest moral fables to contemporary stories that critique real-world issues, we’ve always sought justice and established standards through creative means.
This month, dear writers, consider what issue of justice, boundaries, equality, or ethics you can explore through the written word. Reflect on your local community, your city, or your country. How can you use your unique perspective to uplift an important narrative and inspire readers to view justice in a new light?
**PRIZES** Cash: The winner will receive $100. Runner-Up and Best Peer Review will each receive $50.
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee) - Winning Writers
Please submit one humour poem during August 15, 2026-April 1, 2027
Prizes:
First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from Duotrope (a $100 value) and five years of Chill Subs' Best plan (a $1,000 value)
Second Prize: $750 plus two years of Chill Subs' Best plan (a $400 value)
Third Prize: $350 plus two years of Chill Subs' Best plan (a $400 value)
Honourable Mentions: 10 awards of $200 each plus one year of Chill Subs' Best plan (a $200 value)
Top 13 entries published online
Submit online. No fee to enter. Judge: Jendi Reiter, assisted by Lauren Singer. One poem only, please. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. No restriction on age of author. Both unpublished and previously published work accepted.
This is a contest for humour poems, not serious poems. Serious poems will not be judged. The poem you submit should be in English. Also accepted: cartoons that incorporate a humour poem; inspired gibberish