NESFA 2019-2020 Short Story Competition Taking Entries

The 2019-2020 NESFA Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Story Contest is accepting entries through September 30. The contest “encourages amateur and semi-professional writers to reach the next level of proficiency.” The complete guidelines are here.

Ineligible are writers who have been paid more than $1000 for their writing from any source, and/or have published a novel or multiple shorter works adding up to more than 40,000 words in any paying publication.

A qualifying story must have strong science fiction or fantasy elements and must be shorter than 7,500 words. Stories must be original works of fiction, submitted by their authors. No reprints, or fan fiction. …There is no entry fee. Please submit only one entry per author.

The winner will be announced at Boskone 57 in February 14–16, 2020 and receive a certificate of achievement, three NESFA Press books, and a free membership in one of the next two Boskones (their choice). Runners-up will receive a certificate, and two NESFA Press books. Honorable mentions will receive a certificate and one NESFA Press book.

4 thoughts on “NESFA 2019-2020 Short Story Competition Taking Entries

  1. Since I’ve written textbooks that have paid more than $1000, I suppose that disqualifies me, even though, relative to fiction writing, I’m a rank amateur.

  2. The National Fantasy Fan Federation is also running its annual short story contest. There are no entrance fees, but there are cash prizes. First prize is $50, second $30, and third $20. Read about it here http://n3f.org/short-story-contest/

    The contest is open to amateurs: ” someone who has sold no more than two (2) stories to professional science fiction or fantasy publications or publishing houses. Stories entered in the contest must be original, unpublished, not longer than 8,500 words in length—and must be related to the science fiction, fantasy, or similar genres in the opinion of the judge.”

    The judge is SF author Jefferson Swycaffer. Results will be announced by March 2020.

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