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CRAFT Short Fiction Prize

 

2020 CRAFT Short Fiction Prize will open on March 1, 2020

 

 

2019 CRAFT Short Fiction Prize

Guest Judge: Elizabeth McCracken

Thank you to all of our submitters who sent stories in for the contest! We are enjoying reading your work and can’t wait to share results with the world this summer.

Our plan:

All writers will be contacted by July 15 at the latest. We will have a longlist decided by the end of June. The shortlist of finalists will be sent to Elizabeth McCracken by July 15, with decisions made and winners announced by mid-August.

Entrants whose pieces are advancing will be contacted at each stage.

 

GUIDELINES:

  • Open March 1, 2019 to April 30, 2019
  • CRAFT Short Fiction Prize submissions are open to all writers
  • International submissions are allowed
  • Fiction only
  • Please submit work in English only
  • 5,000 word count maximum
  • We review literary fiction, but are open to a variety of genres and styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft
  • Previously unpublished work only—we do NOT review reprints for contests
  • We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is picked up elsewhere
  • We allow multiple submissions—please submit each piece as a separate submission accompanied by a reading fee
  • $20 reading fee per story/entry
  • All entries will also be considered for publication in CRAFT
  • All submissions must be made via Submittable
  • All entrants will receive an exclusive digital compilation next fall that includes: the winning pieces, with Elizabeth McCracken’s introductions and the winners’ craft essays; excerpts from the finalist pieces; notes from the readers and editors about the reading process; and more
  • Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12 pt font
  • Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable)

Friends, family, and associates of the judge are not eligible for consideration for the award.

The writers of the top three stories will receive:
  • Winner: $2,000 award and a subscription to Journal of the Month 
  • Runners-up: $500 and $300 award respectively for the second and third place finalists
  • Publication of the top three stories in CRAFT, each with an introduction by Elizabeth McCracken
  • Publication of an Author’s Note (craft essay) to accompany the story by each of the writers of the top three entries