Okay, so you want to get your stories out there, right? Like, really out there – maybe even get some recognition, see ’em published, and yeah, score some cash. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But here’s the thing, it’s not just showing up and hoping for the best. It’s a proper competition out there.
So, I’m not gonna lie to you and tell you there are secret shortcuts. We’re going to talk about a solid plan, a smart way of doing things that actually does boost your chances big time. We’re gonna break down everything, from figuring out what contests are really looking for (it’s not always obvious!) to crafting a story that totally blows them away, and even what to do after you hit submit. Consider this your personal GPS for navigating the world of short story contests, turning those “someday” dreams into “yes, I did that!” moments.
First Up: Before You Even Type a Word – Choosing Your Battleground
Seriously, don’t even think about writing until you’ve picked the right contest. And picking isn’t just a quick glance; it’s a deep dive. This decision shapes literally everything else you’re gonna do.
A. Seriously, Read the “Call for Submissions” – It’s a Treasure Map
Every contest has these “guidelines” or “call for submissions.” Most people skim ’em, maybe check the word count and what genre they want. BIG MISTAKE. This isn’t just a boring list, it’s telling you exactly what they like, what they don’t, and where you can mess up.
- Theme & Genre Specifics: Don’t just see “Fantasy.” Is it “grimdark fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic Rome”? See the difference? If it’s super vague (“change,” “loss”), you get more freedom, but your story has to be really original to stand out. If it’s super specific, be honest with yourself: is this truly your jam, or are you trying to squeeze yourself into a box? Like, if a contest says “stories about environmentalism through sci-fi,” they don’t just want a cool sci-fi story; they want you to actually think about ecological issues.
- Word Count Ranges: These Are Rules, Not Suggestions! If they say 2,500 words, you submit 2,501, you’re out. Period. Understand the range: “up to 5,000 words” means you’ve got more room to breathe than “1,000-2,000 words.” If it’s tight, every single word has to earn its keep. More room means you can develop characters and plot a bit more.
- Reading Fees: Is This Legit? Yeah, most contests charge a small fee ($5-$25). It pays for stuff like admin and sometimes even gets you feedback. Totally normal. But if someone’s charging $50+ for a dinky $100 prize, alarm bells should be ringing. Google them. Are they legit? Have people actually won before? Here’s an example: A big literary magazine charging $15 for a contest that goes through three rounds of judging? Good deal. Some random new website charging $40 for a small prize and no clear judging info? Probably a scam, steer clear.
- Prizes & Publication: It’s Not Just About the Money: Okay, money’s nice, but think bigger. Getting published in a respected journal? Getting mentored? Just getting your name out there? Those publication credits are gold for your writing career.
- Judging Criteria & Process: Do they say it’s “blind judging” (meaning they don’t know who you are)? Are there outside judges? What exactly are they looking for – originality, great writing, strong characters? This gives you major clues about what kind of story will hit the spot.
- Eligibility & Rights: Make sure you’re actually allowed to enter (age, location, etc.). And super important: know what rights you’re giving away. Is it just a one-time thing, or do they own your story forever? Reputable contests usually just want to publish it first (like, “First North American Serial Rights”), and then the rights come back to you. If they want too much, run away.
B. Who’s Running This Show? Reputation Matters!
Who’s behind the contest tells you a lot about how valuable winning will be and if the whole thing is even trustworthy.
- Big Literary Journals/Magazines: These guys usually have super high standards and serious readers. Winning here? Huge for your cred. Think: The Iowa Review Short Fiction Award.
- Universities/Writing Programs: Connected to schools, so winning can get you a lot of exposure, sometimes even a book deal! Like: The Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction.
- Indie Publishers/Small Presses: These can be super varied. Check out their other books. Do they fit your style? Are their books well-edited and look good?
- Non-Profit Literary Groups: Lots of these run contests to help new writers. Great places to try, especially if you’re just starting out.
- Scams and “Vanity Contests”: Be super careful. If it’s too easy to enter (no real rules, no fees, but then they try to sell you an expensive “reader’s report”), or if they promise big things but you can’t find any info on past winners, it’s probably sketchy. Listen to your gut.
C. Play to Your Strengths! Don’t Try to Fit a Square Peg in a Round Hole.
This is where knowing yourself really gives you an edge.
- Your Best Story vs. The Prompt: Do you have an amazing story already that perfectly fits the theme, or are you trying to shoehorn something in? Forcing it usually makes your writing sound fake or boring. If your best work doesn’t fit, just wait for the right contest.
- Avoid Overused Themes: If everyone’s writing about “AI in a dystopian future,” how are you going to make yours truly unique? Or maybe just skip that theme. Judges see hundreds of the same stories.
- Know Your Vibe: Are you awesome at realistic stories, character-driven stuff, building complex worlds, or gut-punching emotions? Find contests that love what you do best. Practical tip: If you write dark, psychological thrillers, don’t send one to a contest asking for “uplifting, funny tales.” Seriously.
II. Now, Let’s Write That Winning Story: Making it Unforgettable
Okay, you’ve picked your target. Time to load up your ammo. This isn’t just about good writing; it’s about writing strategically for a competition.
A. The Opening: Hook Them INSTANTLY!
Judges read a LOT of stories. Your first few lines are your one shot to make them stop scrolling and say, “Whoa.”
- Grab ‘Em Right Away: No slow starts, no endless background info. Drop the reader right into the action, into a character’s head, or with a powerful image. Instead of: “Sarah woke up. It was a normal day, or so she thought,” try: “The sound of the river wasn’t what woke Sarah; it was the distinct crunch of bones underfoot, just outside her tent.” See?
- Set the Mood and Voice: Right from the start, your opening should tell the reader what kind of story this is. Funny? Sad? Scary?
- Ask a Question: What big question or mystery do you want the reader to carry with them? Hint at it early. Like, if your story’s about someone facing a tough choice, show a glimpse of that choice, or its consequences, in the first few sentences.
- Tiny Tensions: Even if it’s a quiet opening, throw in little unresolved bits that make the reader curious.
B. Every Word Counts! Be Brutal.
Short stories have no room for fluff. Unlike a novel, you can’t just wander off.
- Show, Don’t Just Tell (Seriously, Be Ruthless!): This is always important, but in contests, it’s HUGE. Don’t say “he was angry”; describe his clenched fists, the vein throbbing in his neck.
- Active Voice & Strong Verbs: Tighten everything up. Swap weak, boring verbs (“was,” “had”) for powerful, descriptive ones. Ditch unnecessary adverbs. Example: “He walked slowly” becomes “He trudged.”
- Introduce Characters Fast: Show who they are through their actions, what they say, and what they think, not long physical descriptions. One vivid detail is worth a whole paragraph of generic stuff.
- Economic Plotting: Every scene, every paragraph, has to move the story forward, deepen a character, or build on the theme. If you can cut something without hurting the story’s core, CUT IT.
- No Repeats! Look for phrases, ideas, or even adverbs/adjectives that pop up too often. Can you say it better with one strong word?
C. Characters, Even in Miniature, Need to Feel Real
Even with limited space, your characters need to jump off the page.
- What Do They Want?: What’s your main character’s desire or goal? Conscious or not, this is what drives the story.
- Unique Voice and Habits: Give your characters specific ways of talking and acting that show who they are.
- Inner Struggles: Even a short story benefits from a character fighting an internal battle. It makes them complex and relatable.
- Flaws Make Them Human: Perfect characters are boring. Show their weaknesses, their insecurities. That’s what makes us connect.
- Hint at Their Past: Don’t dump their whole life story on the reader. Weave in subtle hints about their past that explain why they act the way they do now. Like, maybe a character is really hesitant to argue. Instead of explaining why, just show a quick flashback to an old injury that makes them cautious.
D. Pacing and Structure: Taking the Reader on a Ride
A well-paced short story is like a song – tension builds, then releases.
- The Conflict, ASAP: Introduce the main problem early. This is the engine of your story.
- Building Tension: Make it steadily harder for your character. Each scene should raise the stakes or add more mystery.
- Climax! This is the peak tension, where the main problem gets resolved. It should feel earned and make a big impact.
- Falling Action & Resolution: Briefly show what happens right after the climax. How have characters changed? What lingering effects are there?
- The Ending That Lingers: Your ending should mean more than just finishing the plot. It can be open, clear, or a bit ambiguous, but it must give the reader a sense of completion and something to think about. Don’t do a twist just for the sake of it – it usually feels cheap.
E. Theme: The Thread That Holds It All Together
Every good story has a core idea or message, even if it’s subtle.
- Show, Don’t Tell Your Theme: Don’t preach your message. Let it naturally come out through the plot, the characters, and what happens to them.
- Symbols and Imagery: Use repeating symbols or strong images to reinforce your theme without saying it directly. For example, if your theme is the fragility of hope, maybe a wilting plant or a fading photograph keeps appearing.
- The Bigger Question: What question does your story implicitly make the reader ponder?
III. Polishing Time: More Than Just Spell Check!
A lot of writers rush this part, thinking “good enough” is, well, good enough. Nope. In a contest, “good enough” rarely wins.
A. Revision is Key: It’s Not Just Editing, It’s Remaking
Revision is hard work, but it’s where you look at your story with fresh eyes and make it shine.
- First Draft: Just Get It Down: Don’t overthink. Just write the story.
- Second Draft: Big Picture: Check for plot holes, character development, pacing, and overall structure. Does it make sense? Is the arc satisfying?
- Third Draft: Line by Line: Now, focus on the words. Cut unnecessary ones, strengthen your verbs, make sentences flow better.
- Fourth Draft: Fresh Perspective (or someone else’s): Read it aloud. This helps catch awkward phrasing, choppy sentences, and clunky dialogue. Seriously, try a text-to-speech reader for a different perspective!
B. Proofreading: No Excuses for Errors!
Typos, grammar mistakes, bad formatting – these scream “unprofessional.” Judges will notice.
- Print It Out: You spot errors on paper that you’ll miss on a screen.
- Read Backwards: This forces you to look at each word individually instead of getting caught up in the story.
- Break It Up: Don’t try to proofread the whole thing at once. Do it in chunks to avoid getting tired.
- Specific Passes: Do separate passes just for spelling, then just for grammar, then just for punctuation, and then for consistency (e.g., always “email,” not sometimes “e-mail”).
- Don’t Rely Only on Spellcheck: Spellcheck misses things like “their” when you meant “there.”
C. Formatting: The Unsung Hero Making Your Story Look Pro
Following formatting rules isn’t just about being obedient; it makes your story easy to read and shows you’re serious.
- Standard Manuscript Format (SMS): Even if they don’t say explicitly, always use this:
- 12pt font, Times New Roman (or similar easy-to-read font).
- Double-spaced.
- 1-inch margins all around.
- First page: Your name, address, email, phone in the top left. Your approximate word count in the top right. Story title in the middle. Your name again right below the title.
- Other pages: Put your last name, a short version of your story title, and the page number (like “Smith/Orion/3”) in the top right corner.
- Indent the first line of new paragraphs (usually 0.5 inches).
- Use correct dialogue punctuation (e.g., “Hello,” she said. Not “Hello”, she said.).
- File Naming: Follow their rules (e.g., “YourLastName_StoryTitle.doc”). If no specific rules, just use common sense (like “Smith_TheLastFlight.docx”).
- Blind Judging: If they say it’s blind judging, make sure your name is only where they tell you it can be (like on the cover page, not in the header of every page).
D. Getting Feedback: Not All Advice is Equal
Getting feedback is super important, but some feedback is better than others.
- Good Readers: Pick people who understand stories and can give you criticism that actually helps, not just tell you how wonderful you are. Other writers are usually best.
- Ask Specific Questions: Don’t just say, “Is it good?” Ask: “Is the main character’s motivation clear?” “Does the ending feel earned?” “Is the pacing too slow here?”
- Listen, Don’t Defend: Just listen to what they say first. Don’t immediately try to explain why you wrote it that way.
- Look for Patterns: If three different people tell you the same thing, it’s probably a real problem, even if you don’t like hearing it.
- Your Vision is Still Key: At the end of the day, it’s your story. Don’t change something just because one person said so if it messes with your core vision. Pick and choose wisely. For instance, if one person says, “I didn’t like the ending,” but four others loved it, you can probably ignore that one person. But if everyone says, “I was confused by the timeline,” that’s a definite red flag.
IV. The Submission: Finishing Strong
You’ve got your masterpiece. Now, the final, crucial step: hitting “send.”
A. Follow the Rules, Seriously!
This isn’t about being creative; it’s about following instructions precisely.
- File Type: PDF? DOCX? DOC? Use exactly what they ask for. If you send the wrong type, it might get rejected automatically.
- Naming Files: “YourLastName_StoryTitle.pdf” might be a requirement. Ignore it, and you’re just making their job harder, or worse, getting disqualified.
- How to Submit: Submittable? Email? Snail mail? Use the method they tell you. Don’t try to be clever and send it a different way.
- Cover Letter (If They Let You): Keep it short and professional.
- Your name, contact info.
- The story title.
- Word count.
- A simple, professional sentence (e.g., “Please consider my short story, ‘[Story Title]’, for the [Contest Name].”)
- DO NOT summarize your plot, explain your themes, or list your writing achievements unless they specifically ask for it.
- And definitely DO NOT use a cover letter if it’s blind judging and they don’t explicitly say to include one.
B. The Deadline: It’s a Hard Stop!
Putting things off is usually the enemy here.
- Submit Early: Tech glitches happen! Power outages, internet issues, submission site crashes – real risks. Don’t wait until the last hour.
- Check Time Zones: “Midnight PST” is not the same as “Midnight EST.” Be careful!
- Don’t Rush the Final Check: Submitting early means you can take your time with that very last check before you click send.
C. Proof of Payment: Keep Your Receipts!
If you paid a fee, make sure you have proof. This is your fallback if there’s any problem.
- Screenshot payment confirmations.
- Save all confirmation emails.
- Write down your submission ID if they give you one.
V. After You Submit: The Waiting Game, Learning, and Moving On
This is often the hardest part for writers – the silence. But even then, there are things you can actively do and ways you need to think.
A. The Waiting Game: Patience, My Friend
Judging takes time – sometimes months, even a year.
- Don’t Pester Them: Unless the rules say when to expect a reply and that time has passed, do NOT email or call the organizers. Annoying them won’t help you win.
- Be Realistic: The chances of winning are always small. Don’t tie your entire self-worth as a writer to one contest.
- Start Your Next Project: The best way to deal with waiting is to write another story, or revise an old one. Keep that creative momentum rolling.
B. Rejection: It’s Not About You Personally
Getting rejected is just part of being a writer. In contests, it’s super common.
- It’s Subjective: Art is personal. A story one judge doesn’t connect with, another might absolutely love.
- Sheer Volume: Many contests get hundreds, even thousands, of entries. It’s partly a numbers game.
- Learn From It: If you get specific feedback (rare, but awesome!), really think about it. If not, just consider if there are any areas of your writing that consistently need work.
- Don’t Give Up: A rejection from one contest just means that story wasn’t a fit for that specific contest. It doesn’t mean your story is bad, and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer.
- Re-Evaluate, Don’t Delete: If your story gets rejected, don’t trash it! Read it again with fresh eyes, apply any lessons you’ve learned, and maybe send it to other contests or literary magazines.
C. Winning (or Placing!): Celebrate and Leverage It!
If your story gets picked, huge congrats! Now, make the most of it.
- Be Professional: Thank the organizers quickly and politely.
- Share the News: Post your win on social media, your website, your newsletter (if you have one). This builds your author platform!
- Update Your Bio: Add this win to your writer’s bio. It adds credibility for future submissions.
- Analyze Your Success: Take time to figure out why your story resonated. What were its strongest parts? This insight can help you write even better in the future.
Wrapping It Up
So, entering short story contests isn’t about some secret magic formula. It’s about having a solid, multi-layered plan. It means doing your homework, writing with incredible care, paying attention to every tiny detail, and having a resilient mindset when the inevitable rejections come. By treating every single step – from researching contests to reflecting after you submit – as a key part of your overall strategy, you turn what might feel like a lottery into a calculated pursuit of success. Your words are powerful; let’s give them the best possible shot at being heard, recognized, and celebrated.