Most events are installed on their deadline date, unless there is a long submission window or unless it's a rolling submission.
P=Poetry, N=Nonfiction, F=Fiction
- This event has passed.
F – Fiction Potluck Contest Spring 2025. Challenge: Ocean
up to 5,000 words
A Tip from Alyson:
Stories for this theme have a chance to really immerse us in the ocean’s depths—from mythical creatures and mysterious islands to terrifying trenches and lighthouses standing against time and tide. While each of these stand up on its own, I’d also love to see deep emotional connections as well, be it romances, friendships, or anything in between.
Prizes!
This quarter is officially sponsored by Duotrope; the first place winner of this quarter’s challenge receives Duotrope service for free for two years (valued at $100)!
Submission links are below the submissions guidelines.
One entry per person.
General Rules
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All entries must be in English and original works of fiction.
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One entry per person per challenge.
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The competition runs on UTC time, beginning and ending at midnight.
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You must keep your entry private until after we post the top three winning stories.
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The judges’ decisions are final.
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The judges will contact everyone who includes the Title Information listed below.
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The judges cannot provide feedback for every piece submitted.
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Winning entries will be published as received.
The following are not accepted:
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Simultaneous submissions (sorry, it’s for anonymity. You’ll know within 15 days of closure if you can sub somewhere else!)
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Previously published works (see above)
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AI-generated content
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Fanfiction, erotica, religious, or political content
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Pieces longer than the word count limit
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Pieces submitted outside the competition month
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Pieces submitted in .pdf or pasted into the body of the email
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Pieces without the correct Title Information (below) will be rejected unread.
Submissions
Up to 5,000 words
Keep formatting professional. You can find recommended settings on the submissions page.
Entries must include this Title Information in this order at the top of the document body, aligned left:
Name or Pseudonym, email
Entry Title
Fiction Potluck
Word Count
Accepted file types: .doc, .docx, .odt
Live, unlocked Google Docs or Microsoft Word links are accepted via email (submissions [at] writersworkout.net). We must be able to download your file. We will not request access and we are not responsible for locked docs.
Rights
Your submission grants The Writer’s Workout (WW) exclusive electronic rights for 90 days. WW reserves non-exclusive rights to digitally publish winning entries indefinitely. Winning pieces will be published as received.