HOME
The Elegant Literature award for new writers.
HOME
JUNE AWARDS
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Early Bird
Now Novel Package ($65 value)
Current Submission Count:
337
Updated June 30th at 11:59pm
About the Contest
Write a story involving Home, and an anchor.
$3,000 grand prize.
Cross the threshold. Feel the warmth of the fire, the smell of rising bread. Loved ones speak softly in the hall, so release the breath you’re holding. You have come home.
Home brings comfort… or terror. It’s where life begins, and if we’re lucky, where it ends. Seclusion or community. Cliffside cottages, high-rise apartments, and caves painted with our own hand. We construct dwellings with brick and branch but populate them with emotions. Dreams, memories, love and fear. Nomads carry it on their backs, explorers take it to the stars, and spiders spin new ones with each falling rain. And yet, perhaps your home is found in a book, a song, or a shared glance. A fragrance on the wind. How do you feel when another shares the keys? And later, when walls crumble and memories fade? Do you rebuild, reaching for what was? Or do you venture forth into the unknown, searching for something new to call… HOME.
This contest invites you to explore Home, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close June 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on:
Meet The Guest Judge
Ai Jiang
Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, a Nebula Award Finalist, and an immigrant from Fujian. She is a member of HWA, SFWA, and Codex. Her work can be found in F&SF, The Dark, Uncanny, The Puritan, Prairie Fire, The Masters Review, among others. She is the recipient of Odyssey Workshop’s 2022 Fresh Voices Scholarship and the author of Linghun and I AM AI. Find her on Twitter (@AiJiang_) and online (aijiang.ca).
Past Judges
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prizes:
1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
Early Bird: Now Novel Package, including lifetime membership, plot and character guides (est. value $65 USD). Awarded to the top judged, non-published story submitted by midnight on the 15th of the month.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. 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 June 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on June 30th.
Winners will be announced on August 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “anchor” (or anchored, anchors, etc).
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Ai Jiang
Selection Criteria:
The judges will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.
The Elegant Literature award for new writers.
JUNE AWARDS
1st Place:
$3000 Elegant Literature Award
10c/word and publication
Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator
2nd – 10th Place:
10c/word and publication
11th – 35th Place:
$20
Early Bird
Now Novel Package ($65 value)
Current Submission Count:
337
Updated June 30th at 11:59pm
Meet The Previous Winners
About the Contest
Write a story involving Home, and an anchor.
$3,000 grand prize.
Cross the threshold. Feel the warmth of the fire, the smell of rising bread. Loved ones speak softly in the hall, so release the breath you’re holding. You have come home.
Home brings comfort… or terror. It’s where life begins, and if we’re lucky, where it ends. Seclusion or community. Cliffside cottages, high-rise apartments, and caves painted with our own hand. We construct dwellings with brick and branch but populate them with emotions. Dreams, memories, love and fear. Nomads carry it on their backs, explorers take it to the stars, and spiders spin new ones with each falling rain. And yet, perhaps your home is found in a book, a song, or a shared glance. A fragrance on the wind. How do you feel when another shares the keys? And later, when walls crumble and memories fade? Do you rebuild, reaching for what was? Or do you venture forth into the unknown, searching for something new to call… HOME.
This contest invites you to explore Home, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.
Submissions close June 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.
Share on
Meet The Guest Judge
Ai Jiang
Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, a Nebula Award Finalist, and an immigrant from Fujian. She is a member of HWA, SFWA, and Codex. Her work can be found in F&SF, The Dark, Uncanny, The Puritan, Prairie Fire, The Masters Review, among others. She is the recipient of Odyssey Workshop’s 2022 Fresh Voices Scholarship and the author of Linghun and I AM AI. Find her on Twitter (@AiJiang_) and online (aijiang.ca).
Past Judges
Read stories from
the last contest.
Get it in your inbox (it’s free).
Are you a new or unpublished author? We want to see your work. Check out the link below to learn what we are looking for.
Contest Short Rules
Who can enter?
New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada). Full details here.
Prizes:
1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
Early Bird: Now Novel Package, including lifetime membership, plot and character guides (est. value $65 USD). Awarded to the top judged, non-published story submitted by midnight on the 15th of the month.
How to enter: Sign up for an Elegant+ Membership and visit the Members Area, or click “Enter Now” on the contest page. 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 June 1st.
The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on June 30th.
Winners will be announced on August 1st.
Entries:
Unlimited. English language only. Must follow the contest theme/prompt and include the word “anchor” (or anchored, anchors, etc).
Length:
Minimum 500 words. Maximum 2000. Word count does not include title of work.
Head Judge:
Ai Jiang
Selection Criteria:
The judges will choose the winner based on:
Creativity
Character
Structure & Flow
Quality of Writing
For more information, please see the full Contest Rules.
For answers to common questions, please see the FAQ.
We have a uniquely streamlined Publication Process. Read about it here.
See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to increase your chance of selection.