March, 2026

Event Details
The Ethos Literacy 7th Annual Short Short Story Contest is organised by Ethos Literacy, a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on literacy and creative writing initiatives. The contest invites original, previously unpublished
Event Details
The Ethos Literacy 7th Annual Short Short Story Contest is organised by Ethos Literacy, a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on literacy and creative writing initiatives. The contest invites original, previously unpublished short-short stories of up to 100 words on one of four specified topics: “chicken(s),” “detour,” “purple,” or “something lost.”
The competition is open to writers aged 14 and over worldwide. Writers may submit multiple stories, with a separate registration fee for each entry. Submissions must be in English and original, and all winning and honorable mention stories will be published in an e-magazine by Ethos Literacy. Entries are judged on creativity, narrative coherence, thematic depth, quality of writing, and overall impact.
The contest awards six prizes:
- Best of Contest: $200 cash (1 winner)
- Best of Category: writer’s gift (4 winners)
- Best Youth Story (ages 14–17): writer’s gift (1 winner)
Is this event legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer’s website and carefully read the terms and conditions!
Subscribe to Writing Deadlines
Never miss a deadline again. The Writing Deadlines newsletter delivers curated, verified writing competitions, prizes, and open calls straight to your inbox — subscribe here.
Could your writing use a second pair of eyes?
ProWritingAid combines deep grammar and style checks with genre-specific reports on pacing, repetition, and readability, helping you self-edit like a pro before you submit your work. Get started here — it’s free to try!
