F – The Third Annual Grist Climate Fiction Short Story Contest “Imagine 2200. Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors”

Premise

Grist invites you to submit a climate fiction short story for our third annual contest, Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors.

Imagine 2200 celebrates stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress, imagining intersectional worlds of abundance, adaptation, reform, and hope. Stories must be set between today and the year 2200, in a future that shows the path to a clean, green, just world. We are looking for stories that showcase creative climate solutions and community-centered adaptations. We especially want to read — and share — narratives that center solutions from the communities most impacted by the climate crisis and stories that envision what a truly equitable, decolonized society could look like.

In 3,000 to 5,000 words, show us the world you dream of building.

We love to see stories that are rooted in cultural authenticity (a deep sense of place, customs, cuisine, and more) and rich subcultures that uplift traditions not often seen in mainstream literature. In addition, we love rich characters with fully-fledged identities, stories that challenge the status quo of extraction and oppression, and stories that incorporate real world climate solutions or climate science. Stories need not be overly optimistic or rosy — the path to climate progress will involve hard work, struggle, and adaptation, and we invite you to show that, too.

Finally, we are also excited to see climate themes in stories from across genres — love stories, fantasy adventures, mysteries, comedies. Give us YOUR take on climate fiction and what hope for our future means to you.

We’ll be looking for these core elements:

• Creative climate solutions
• Hope in action
• Vivid characters
• Compelling story
• Decolonized futures

We will also judge submissions based on the quality of artistic voice, originality, craft, and technique.

What we’re offering to winners: 

• Cash prizes
• Publication on Grist and Grist partner sites as part of our Imagine 2200 collection
• A reason to stay hopeful

The winning writer will be awarded $3,000, with the second- and third-place finalists receiving $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. An additional nine finalists will get $300 apiece. All winners and finalists will have their story published in an immersive collection on Grist’s website.

The deadline for submission is June 13, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

Inspiration: Imagine 2200 draws inspiration from Afrofuturism, as well as Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, disabled, feminist, and queer futurisms. The contest is also grounded in hopepunk and solarpunk — literary genres that uplift equitable climate solutions and continued service to one’s community, even in the face of despair.

We are excited to see what you write and to dive into the worlds you create!