the challenge
Write a story using no more than 100 words on one of these topics:
chicken(s)
detour
purple
something lost
Deadline
The contest opens on December 15, 2025 and ends on March 1, 2026.
FEES, registration, age limit
Submission Fee is $15 a story.
Registration opens on December 15, 2025 -- return to this webpage on December 15 to register.
Minimum age: 14
JUDGING CRITERIA
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Does the story address the topic in an imaginative, creative, or unexpected way?
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Does the author create a clear and coherent story where something happens?
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Does the story contain a theme or idea?
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Does the quality of the writing enhance the story?
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Did the story have a memorable impact on the reader?
prizes and publication
We will award 6 prizes
Best of Contest: $200 cash prize (1 winner)
Best of Category: writer's gift (4 winners)
Best Youth Story (for writers 14 to 17): writer's gift (1 winner)
Winning and honorable mention stories will be published in an e-magazine.
If you have questions, please email us at shortstory@ethosliteracy.org.