The Writing Contest That Comes Back Every Month
Quick answer: Writory runs a short story contest every month from 1 September 2026: entries open on the 1st, close on the 25th at 11:59 PM IST, and results arrive by the 30th, with winners published on dated pages. Every entrant gets a certificate and a score out of 100. Winning a round, or entering three months running, earns free entry.
Annual contests give you one shot and months of silence. This one gives you a deadline that always exists: enter by the 25th, hold your scorecard by the 30th, and the next round is already open. Miss a month, catch the next.
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 there genuinely a new round every month?
Yes, and you do not have to take our word for it: every month's winners are published on dated pages, across more than a year of Writory rounds. Entries close on the 25th, results land by the 30th, and the next round opens on the 1st.
Can I revise a story that did not place and enter it again next month?
Yes, and it is one of the best uses of the format. The scorecard shows which dimension leaked marks; revise against it and bring the story back. Every round is judged fresh and blind, so the new draft is read entirely on its own terms.
How is free entry earned?
Two ways only: win a monthly round, or enter three consecutive months and take the Seasoned Quill badge. Free entry cannot be bought or requested, only earned. Everyone else pays the standard $8 a story.
What if I miss the 25th?
The deadline is fixed at 11:59 PM IST on the 25th and does not extend. But the cost of missing it is six days, not a year: the next round opens on the 1st, and the story is usually better for the extra pass you give it.
Does a good score one month carry into the next?
No. Judging is blind and every round begins at zero, so a strong October cannot pad a weak November. What carries is the writing: your scorecard shows where the marks leaked, and next month judges the revision on its own merits.
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.