FamilyFiction presents our 2026 summer-themed short story writing contest! Enter your short story for a chance to win $100!
Submission Guidelines
Please read the following guidelines carefully to make sure you know exactly what we’re looking for. We can’t wait to read all of your amazing stories!
Word Count: 1,000-2,500 words (including title)
Theme: Summer
Content: Must be clean (no foul or degrading language, spicy scenes, or excessive violence) and fit with the summer theme. Poetry, AI-generated content, and stories outside of the word count will not be accepted. Stories do not have to be explicitly Christian in nature, but must comply with the ‘clean’ requirements outlined above. One submission per writer.
Judging Criteria: We’re looking for originality, quality plot, dialogue, setting, and characters, and proper formatting (writing should be left-aligned, no extra space between paragraphs, and broken into proper paragraphs or even mini chapters). All stories should be edited for spelling/grammar errors.
Awards: There will be a $100 cash prize for first place. Second and third place will receive a copy of Janice Thompson’s Write and Sell Your Novel: A Guide to Creating Your Fiction And Sharing It With Readers. All three stories will be shared on the FamilyFiction website.
Submissions will be accepted July 21, 2026 through August 18, 2026. Winners will be announced on August 25th, 2026.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at familyfictionsubmissions@gmail.com and our editor would love to help. Happy writing, everyone!
