Do you have a story burning inside you? Are you up for a challenge? Do you like prizes?
If so, you’re in for a thrill, because we’re hosting our first short story contest, and we hope you’ll grab your pen (or laptop) to compete!
But first I’m sure you’d like to hear about all the prestige and loot you could gain as a result of your literary genius.
Prizes
First Place Winner will receive:
• $75 Amazon gift card
• Theme Mastery: How to Write Meaningful Stories without Being Preachy, a course taught by Josiah DeGraaf (worth $147)
• Publication on the Story Embers website
Second Place Winner will receive:
• $30 Amazon gift card
• Two minicourses from Ink Slinger Academy (worth $20)
• Publication on the Story Embers website
Runner up will receive:
• $20 Amazon gift card
• Acknowledgement in the announcement post
Official Rules
Please read our guidelines carefully and refer back to the list before entering. We reserve the right to disqualify entrants for not following our criteria, and our decisions as judges are final.
• Word count (excluding the title and byline) must be no shorter than 1,000 and no longer than 8,000. The genre is up to you, though we will ask you to select a category for review purposes when you enter.
• The story must be a work of fiction (not a memoir) and seek to teach as well as delight. We aren’t interested in sermons, but we also don’t want stories that have no purpose except to entertain.
• The story must be original and unpublished. If the piece has previously been posted online (on a personal blog or elsewhere), that classifies as published. Story Embers retains exclusive use of the winning stories for three months after publication, but once that time span has elapsed, the rights revert back to the authors.
• Entries must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents. Type your story’s title at the top of the page with your name below it, skip a space, and begin your material. Use 12 pt. Times New Roman, left-align text, and italicize words of emphasis. Do not indent paragraphs. Apply single spacing between sentences and double spacing between paragraphs.
• A $5 submission fee must be tendered at the time of entry. This fee is nonrefundable.
• Only one entry is allowed per person. Once a story has been submitted, we will not accept edits or exchanges, so be sure to polish your work thoroughly and attach the correct document.
• Entrants must be subscribers to our newsletter. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you may do so by taking the writing rank score and signing up for our free resources (link in the sidebar).
• Entries that contradict our statement of faith or contain objectionable content will be disqualified.
Judging Process
Stories will be evaluated on the basis of style/mechanics, theme, characters, and overall uniqueness. Josiah and I will be serving as judges. We’ve been working together for two years in various capacities, and our different but complementary skill sets make us a dynamic editorial duo.
Josiah is the summit & marketing director at Story Embers, the program director of The Young Writer, and a literature nerd who fell in love with stories at an early age. Because he’s fascinated by human motivations, he enjoys putting normal people in crazy situations (did he mention he writes fantasy?) and forcing them to make difficult choices. He will be zeroing in on themes, the motivations behind characters’ actions, and the events that push the protagonists toward the climax. He’s eager to be enthralled by your stories!
I’m the blog and graphics director here at Story Embers. Although I began as a writer, my penchant for noticing typos and obsession with syntax compelled me to wield a red pen rather than a black one. I’m proudly a gold member of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders & Editors Network and have been certified by the Christian Editor Connection. Over the years, I’ve worked on a variety of projects for individual clients, publishers, and organizations. I love aiding writers in achieving their aspirations to captivate and change the world through fiction. I’ll be focusing on the nitty-gritty details of storytelling—from grammar to showing vs. telling to breathtaking prose. I can’t wait to see the magic you weave with your words!
How to Enter
This year’s contest closed at 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 30, 2018. Thanks for your interest! Winners will be announced on or by August 24, 2018. If you place in the contest, we’ll contact you a few weeks prior to that. Otherwise, due to the volume of submissions we receive, we won’t be able to follow up with you on the status of your entry.
Have a question about the contest? Email brianna@storyembers.org or drop a comment below.
Brianna Storm Hilvety has been a professional editor for seven years, a writer for more than a decade, and a bibliophile from the moment she pronounced her first syllable. Although she began as a writer, her penchant for noticing typos and obsession with syntax compelled her to wield a red pen rather than a black one. She loves aiding writers in achieving their aspirations to captivate and change the world through fiction. Interacting with these passionate, brave souls bolsters her belief that even the quietest whisper or the tiniest mark on a page can bring comfort, conviction, and cheer to others.
😉 Wheeeeee
Ooh, sparkly! This is exciting! I just hope I can think of an idea. Good luck!
I hope you get a brainstorm! 😉
Thanks!
I hope my living in French Canada will not keep me from entering this. I didn’t see anything to indicate it.
As long as your entry is written in English, you’re eligible to enter. 🙂
I am also curious to know if I may use ? Or does that count as being published?
I think you may have accidentally omitted a word from your question. 🙂 What did you want to know if you could use?
I think I might try my hand at this 😀
Oh, goodie! 😀
Also, does it matter if it’s in first person or third?
I would combine all my questions but I can’t do that. Sorry.
Your story can be in any POV you wish. 🙂
Hmmm. HMMMM. Do I have time for this? *thinks about three story ideas and five current WIPS* Yep. Plenty of time.
There’s always time to explore new writing opportunities that could lead to fame and fortune, right? 😜
Hahahaha!
Wait how do i get you the $5 submission fee?
After you fill out the entry form (a link to this page is in the post) and click Send, you’ll be redirected to PayPal to pay the fee.
Awesome stuffs! I read the email and I was like ‘aww, cool. I don’t think I’ll try for it though. For one thing I apparently don’t know what a ‘short’ story is, and for another I guess I’m just feeling lazy.’
Fifteen minutes later: *is furiously hunched over her keyboard, slamming out words as fast as she can*
So much for feeling lazy. 😛
GO KATE! *Whistles and claps* 😀 I’m glad we inspired you so! 😉
Hey look, I have motivation to write the short story idea I have had since November…
One question though, how do I pay the fee?
I’m glad we gave you the motivation to get writing! 😉
After you fill out the entry form (a link to this page is in the post) and click Send, you’ll be redirected to PayPal to pay the fee.
Eek, yes hello but I am going to at least attempt this. 😛 Let’s see if I get time between all the other duties.
Wow, this looks so fun!!! 😀 😀 😀
Is it okay if a sibling critiques my work before I enter it? Or if I critique my sibling’s work? If not, I totally understand.
As long as you plot and write the story on your own, and your sibling is just helping you refine it, I don’t see a problem with that. 🙂 In fact, I think it’s a great idea to get additional input on your piece prior to entering.
I’ll enter! Hopefully I have enough time, what with other WIPs and summer things. *ONWARDS!!!!*
Awesome! 😀
Worth a shot. Not trying would be a shame, right?
Probably going to email you a question, though, Brianna.
Not trying would be a crying shame indeed.
Fire away! 😉
*runs back in* I forgot to ask this earlier in my excitement… can we get the help of beta readers and critique partners and such? Not to write the story, obviously, but to receive feedback?
Haha! I think I’m as excited about being a judge for this contest as all the prospective contestants are about entering! 😉
Yes, getting feedback from others before entering your story is absolutely fine—and I would actually encourage it. 🙂
Quick question: ‘Apply single spacing between sentences and double spacing between paragraphs.’
Do you mean small paragraphs as in groups of a hundred or so words, or large paragraphs as in entire scenes?
Wait. *scratches head* Are scenes even called paragraphs…? *coughs* As you can see, I am not a copy-editor. 😛
Yeah, scenes and paragraphs are not synonymous. 😉 Basically, your story should look like this:
Epic paragraph about epic event that happens to epic character (or an epic line of dialogue).
[Space]
Another epic paragraph.
Does that make sense? 🙂
*nods* I think so. Thanks. 😉
Aah! Should I do it? Should I not?
DO IT! 😀
DOOOO IIIITTTT!!
Um…if I enter and then I don’t get mentioned or win or anything, can I use for my blog or something or can I not use it for anything else again?
Thanks!
If your story doesn’t win, yes, you may publish it elsewhere. But even if your story does place in the contest, the rights revert back to you after three months. 🙂
Woah, awesome! Okay I’m feeling better about this now. Thank you! 😀
I only have access to Google Docs…what do I do?
In Google Docs, simply click on Share & Export, then Save as Word, and you’ll be good to go. 🙂
I have a question. Is a murder an objectionable content? I don’t dwell on it. 🙂
Unless the scene is really graphic or gruesome, it should be fine.
Thanks! It’s not. 🙂
This is cool!! If the Lord wills, then it will happen!! 🙂 I will definitely try!