If you are a short story writer, dust off your latest piece or fashion something new for this contest (check out sites like AtlantaWrites.com or StoryADay.org for prompts!).
Apprentices, check out your discount page for codes to use on your entry form if you plan on competing this year.
INFO ABOUT THE ANNUAL WRITERWERX UNIVERSITY SHORT STORY CONTEST: 2025
Contest Opens: July 1st, 2025
Contest closes: August 31st, 2025
Winners announced: October / November of 2025.
Entry Fee: $15 per short story.
The Short Story Contest (SSC) is open to any writer over the age of 18. Writers are asked to submit a short story of 5,000 words or less in any genre, fiction or nonfiction. Writers are welcome to submit as many stories as they like.
Prizes
FIRST PLACE
- $150 USD paid via PayPal.
- $1,500 in editorial services credits.
- Short story shared across our social media profiles.
- Short story shared on our blog.
- Short story shared with both our free and paid subscribers.
- Headshot and bio on our ‘Winners’ page.
- A digital first-place badge that can be added to book covers and websites.
- Author featured in contest promotions annually.
SECOND PLACE
- $75 USD paid via PayPal.
- $375 in editorial services credits.
- Short story shared on our blog.
- Short story shared with both our free and paid subscribers.
THIRD PLACE
- $30 USD paid via PayPal.
- $60 in editorial services credits.
Cash portions of each award will be submitted via PayPal. If the contestant does not claim the prize money and it is refunded back to us, the winner will forfeit their cash award. If any winner does not confirm their payment and contact information within seven (7) calendar days of receiving their award email, they will forfeit their cash award.
Editorial services credits must be used within 7 days of receipt.
After a single (1) service is requested for a single (1) manuscript and the awarded credit is applied, any overage will be forfeited and any underpayment will be invoiced to the writer, with no services beginning until the owed amount is paid in full.
If any winner does not confirm their payment and contact information within seven (7) calendar days of receiving their award email, they will forfeit their editorial services credits.
Manuscripts must be submitted within 30 days of purchasing a service using earned credits. If an author’s manuscript is not received within 30 days of purchasing a service, the credits, as well as any funds submitted, will be forfeited.
Cash portions of prizes may be applied to editorial services at the author’s request.
Submission Parameters
Submissions should be in PDF or DOCX format using a clearly legible typeface (nothing highly decorative or illustrative like Webdings or Vivaldi).
The submission should only contain two things: (1) the title of the story and (2) the story itself.
If any identifying information such as author names, email addresses, phone numbers, or social media handles are included with the submission, that entry will be disqualified.
If any extraneous information is included such as illustrations or photos, that entry will be disqualified.
Common Ways to Get Disqualified
- Submitting a story that is longer than 5,000 words.
- Submitting a story with identifying or extraneous information such as photos, author names, illustrations, or email addresses.
- Submitting a story in a format other than a PDF or DOCX such as .epub, .gdoc, or .rtf.
Ready to Enter?
The contest opens on July 1st, 2025.
If you already subscribe to our monthly emails, you’ll be getting reminders included in those emails. you can sign up here.
You can also become one of the Freeple or an Apprentice. Freeple will be notified at the same time as Apprentices.