Future Fears
$20,000 Grand Prize
About the Contest
Write a story involving fear, the future, and a mask.
$20,000 grand prize.
Fear is innate to humanity, as is our hope for the future. They are two sides of the same coin. You may worry about tomorrow’s meal while hoping for a better life, or consider your own mortality against the fate of humankind amongst the stars.
What is your worst nightmare? The one you can’t shake off in the morning when you wake up? What about that feeling of dread, or the thoughts of something happening to someone close to you. Fear is a powerful emotion and it has been around for as long as humans have existed. From what we know, fear drives us towards taking action and motivates us to avoid dangerous situations. But how do we handle our fears when they are irrational or unfounded? How do we stop ourselves from letting them control our lives?
This contest invites you to explore the elixir of fear with an eye to the future, whatever that means to you. Mystery, fantasy, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions open October 1st at 12:01 am EST. More details below.
Share this contest with friends.
Meet the Head Judge
PETER V. BRETT
Peter V. Brett is the internationally bestselling author of the Demon Cycle series, which has sold more than three and a half million copies in 27 languages worldwide. Novels include The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, The Daylight War, The Skull Throne, and The Core.
In addition to his novels, Peter has written a series of novellas set in the Demon Cycle world, including The Great Bazaar, Brayan’s Gold, Messenger’s Legacy and the newly released Barren. He also wrote the Red Sonja: Unchained graphic novel for Dynamite Comics.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
Anyone, worldwide (excluding Quebec), ages 13+. Must be an Elegant+ member.
Prize: $20,000 USD. The winner and other selected stories will also be purchased at 10 cents ($0.10) per word and published in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Submit Story” in the navigation bar. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on October 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on October 31st.
Winners will be announced on December 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “mask”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
TBA
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
Future Fears
$20,000 Grand Prize
About the Contest
Write a story involving fear, the future, and a mask.
$20,000 grand prize.
Fear is innate to humanity, as is our hope for the future. They are two sides of the same coin. You may worry about tomorrow’s meal while hoping for a better life, or consider your own mortality against the fate of humankind amongst the stars.
What is your worst nightmare? The one you can’t shake off in the morning when you wake up? What about that feeling of dread, or the thoughts of something happening to someone close to you. Fear is a powerful emotion and it has been around for as long as humans have existed. From what we know, fear drives us towards taking action and motivates us to avoid dangerous situations. But how do we handle our fears when they are irrational or unfounded? How do we stop ourselves from letting them control our lives?
This contest invites you to explore the elixir of fear with an eye to the future, whatever that means to you. Mystery, fantasy, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions open October 1st at 12:01 am EST. More details below.
Share this contest with friends.
Meet the Head Judge
PETER V. BRETT
Peter V. Brett is the internationally bestselling author of the Demon Cycle series, which has sold more than three and a half million copies in 27 languages worldwide. Novels include The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, The Daylight War, The Skull Throne, and The Core.
In addition to his novels, Peter has written a series of novellas set in the Demon Cycle world, including The Great Bazaar, Brayan’s Gold, Messenger’s Legacy and the newly released Barren. He also wrote the Red Sonja: Unchained graphic novel for Dynamite Comics.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
Anyone, worldwide (excluding Quebec), ages 13+. Must be an Elegant+ member.
Prize: $20,000 USD. The winner and other selected stories will also be purchased at 10 cents ($0.10) per word and published in the magazine.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Submit Story” in the navigation bar. Fill out the form and copy/paste (preferred method) or upload a file containing your work.
Important Dates:
The contest opens at 12:01 am EST on October 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on October 31st.
Winners will be announced on December 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “mask”.
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
TBA
Selection Criteria:
The Judge will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.