F(r)iction Flash Fiction Contest (Single Entry) — Fall 2026
Before you apply
About this call
F(r)iction is a triannual print collection with an online companion, F(r)iction Log, that sits at the intersection of literary and visual culture. Its editorial sensibility privileges work that is formally adventurous and emotionally resonant, often moving across the boundary between conventional literary fiction and speculative, surreal, or hybrid modes. This contest is devoted specifically to flash fiction, which the magazine treats as a site of concentrated power and formal experiment rather than as a lesser variant of the longer story. The Fall 2026 iteration is judged by Wes Blake, a writer whose work is known for precise, atmospheric compression. His involvement signals a curatorial preference for narratives that operate through implication and image as much as through plot, and for prose in which economy of means carries both the emotional and structural weight of the piece. Entrants submit a single flash fiction piece of up to 1,000 words, accompanied by a paid entry fee of $10.00 USD. The first prize is $300, with consideration for publication; up to five finalists may be considered within the same frame. The contest is set against a magazine whose print and online platforms give work an extended public life beyond the award itself.
What to send
Limit: up to 1,000 words