Refractions: Uncharted Magazine's Genre Flash Fiction Prize - Uncharted
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Refractions: Uncharted Magazine’s Genre Flash Fiction Prize

By Uncharted

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This contest is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted. We’re excited to read your flash fiction!

It’s time to write short at Uncharted Magazine! We want your stories of 1,500 words or fewer in all of our genres! So sharpen those pencils and flex those fingers. We’re excited to offer the winner of this prize $1,000 and publication, while the second- and third-place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively. The Uncharted editors and team will decide the winners.

We know our submitters are up to the challenge of writing whole worlds, fantastic characters, and thrilling plots in 1,500 words or fewer. We love it when writers combine genres or find ways to challenge the archetypes to create something we can’t stop reading. We are open to submissions in the following genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Historical Fiction, and Young Adult.

While we expect to see some genre conventions, we hope that you will incorporate flash form elements such as white space, unique structures, heightened language including metaphors, and endings that make us feel something new. Flash creates its structure with each new example, each story forgoing traditional forms to make an old story new again. We can’t wait to read your imaginative tales!

You’re invited to submit to the Refractions: Genre Flash Fiction Prize from July 01 to July 31, 2024.

GUIDELINES

  • The deadline for entry is July 31, 2024. We will announce the shortlist within 12-14 weeks of the contest’s close. All writers will be notified when the results are ready.
  • Your $20 reading fee allows two flash and/or microfiction of 1,500 maximum per story per entry.
  • We encourage multiple submissions—each entry (of up to two stories) should be a separate submission accompanied by a reading fee.
  • Please submit short stories only—1,500 count maximum.
  • We only consider unpublished work for contests—we do not review reprints, including self-published work (even on blogs and social media).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 immediately and withdraw your entry if you find another home for your writing.
  • All entries will also be considered for publication in Uncharted.
  • Double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12 (or larger if needed).
  • Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
  • Please include a content warning to help safeguard our staff (if applicable).
  • We only read work in English, though some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.
  • We do not read anonymous submissions.
  • Work generated by AI will be automatically disqualified.

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 two-page global letters 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 Uncharted. A significant portion of the editorial letter fees is paid to our feedback editor. Should your story win, no feedback will be offered, and your fee will be refunded.