Write a story involving Borders & Boundaries and a crown. $3000 grand prize.

Stand at the edge of the chasm. On the far side is safety, freedom. You can make the jump, maybe. A leap of faith. Will you leave the familiar behind, or is the risk too high?

Some fences keep danger out, others trap us within. Once defined by nature, now borders etch the earth, invisible from above but potent in the lives they define. From tribes to cities, nations, and eventually planets, we define ourselves by geography and history. By ideas. By language, both bridge and divider. The frontier of industry, of technology, demarcating the shift in eras. Explore the solar system, rush to the furthest reaches to lay claim, to carve out a piece and call it our own. And what about the spaces between? Places belonging to no one, a limbo of control. Is the mind a prison, or is there power beyond the senses? Souls, spirits, even salvation. Every barrier invites us to question who we are in relation to the other side. Where do we stand after the lines are drawn? Who draws them, and what if, one day, they disappeared?

This contest invites you to explore Borders & Boundaries, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.

Submissions close September 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.

We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.