A Fiction Writing Contest for Every Kind of Storyteller
Quick answer: Writory's fiction writing contest accepts any fiction of 100 to 2,000 words in any genre: flash, literary, thriller, fantasy, horror, romance, or a self-contained piece from a longer project. Rounds run monthly from September 2026, entry is $8, judging is blind against a published rubric, every entrant is scored out of 100, and writers keep all rights.
Flash in 300 words or a full arc at 2,000: if you invent people and make things happen to them, this is your round. Any genre read seriously, judged blind against a published rubric, with all five marks returned whatever the result.
The published rubric, 100 points
- Storytelling & Structure (25 points): Does every scene cause the next, and does the ending pay off the opening?
- Character & Emotional Impact (25 points): Do we want something with your character, and does the story make us feel it?
- Language & Craft (20 points): Clean, deliberate prose: rhythm, precision, and nothing wasted.
- Originality & Voice (20 points): The angle only you could write, told in a voice that sounds like nobody else.
- Theme & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 2,000 words by the 25th of the month, 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive by the 30th: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. Monthly winners earn free entry to the next round. Enter at https://writoryofficial.com/submit-story.
Common questions
Is flash fiction judged against full-length stories?
It competes in the same round but is read as flash: structure is scored as shape, not as plot volume. A 300-word piece that lands its single turn can outscore a 2,000-word story that wanders, and the rubric's weights apply identically at every length.
Can I enter a chapter from my novel in progress?
Yes, if it reads as a whole at 2,000 words or fewer. Judges see only what is on the page, so choose a stretch with its own arc: an opening it earns, a middle that escalates, an ending that lands rather than pauses. A chapter that merely sets up the next one will score like a fragment, because it is one.
Is there a set theme or prompt each month?
No. Any genre, any subject, 100 to 2,000 words; the constraint is craft, not topic. The five judged dimensions are the same for a space station as for a kitchen table, so write the story you actually want to write.
I posted the story on my own blog. Can I still enter it?
Yes. Work that has only appeared on your personal blog or social accounts is eligible; judging is blind and scores what is on the page, not its publication history. If a magazine later takes the story, nothing about the contest gets in the way.
How many stories can I enter in one month?
Up to five: $8 for one, $14 for two, $25 for five, and each story is judged and scored separately. A single entry is Rs 199 for writers in India. Entering two very different pieces is a good way to learn which of your modes scores higher.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 31 countries have entered, readers come from over 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and theme. Every entrant receives a certificate; winners receive cash prizes and are published by name. Entries close on the 25th of each month and results are announced on the 30th. Writory is listed by Duotrope, Poetry Kit, Christopher Fielden's competition list and Creative Writing NZ, among other organisations. Past results are public at past winners and the leaderboard.