The Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition invites writers to create original stories and poems using the opening and closing lines of classic works of literature. In previous years, participants have tackled works by Lewis Carroll, Dorothy Parker, and Dashiell Hammett, crafting stories and poems in every genre, from science fiction to meta-fiction, and from sonnets to free verse.

For its fifth year, in addition to monetary prizes and publication, the competition offers personal feedback for all honorable mentions. The competition is also a fundraiser for Ukraine. Sarah Waits, one of the competition editors, says, “We’re a small organization, but we believe we can make a difference in the world.”

The Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition is international and open to everyone. The author of a winning story or poem will receive a USD $500 cash prize. In addition, the winning story will be published in a forthcoming Literary Taxidermy anthology. The winning author will receive a complimentary copy of the anthology. An author of a finalist story or poem will receive a USD $50 cash prize, as well as publication. Learn more about the 2022 Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition on our website: www.literarytaxidermy.com.

Take the creative challenge—and join the fun! The competition begins on May 1st. We can’t wait to see what you stitch together!