Contest July-August 2023 Short Story Contest Entries Closed

I'm announcing the next short story contest a little bit early . The theme for our 35th seasonal short story contest is "Hidden in Plain Sight" brought to you by the wise, clever, and above all trustworthy Y'ttar Scaletail.

I'm running this concurrently with the Summer 2023 Poetry Contest, you are encouraged to enter both contests, read the entries of both contests, and vote in both contests.

The Rules
-We would like you to try to keep your story between 500 and 2000 words. I am requiring that entries do not exceed 2400 words. This is counting title, poems, quotes, any add-ons. If I get a submission that exceeds 2400 words, I will trim it till it meets the limit, and you may not like what words I choose to cut. Even prepositions are not safe...

-Your name must appear nowhere with the story. There is no point in having an anonymous competition based on skill if we know whose entry is whose.

-You must send your story via private message to Scalenex before midnight (US Central time) on August 16th 2023
-The story must be new. No dragging up a story you wrote months or years ago.
-No plagiarism. This means no stealing a story verbatim. You are free to use characters or settings from other works including other writer's fluff pieces and past short story contest entries.
-The story must involve Lizardmen (or Seraphon or Salamanders or Saurian Ancients or Rangos), at least a little.
-The story must stick roughly within the theme, at least a little.
-No comics or illustrations. This is a short story contest. Visuals are limited to fonts and text colors.
-Only one entry allowed per person.


Once again, the winner of this contest has the honor of choosing the next contest theme if they so choose.

If you want to talk about the theme or your eagerness to write or read something. Please do so below!

 

Interesting theme. I like it!

 

Is it really hidden, when it declares itself in the open?

 

I think you are forging a new alignment.
"Legally Chaotic".

 

Jeez.
I have TWO ideas.

 

Well, i don't even know if i will be able to write down ONE.

 

We got a fairly early entry.



We aren't at the two week mark so I don't have to break out the renditions of "One is the Loneliest number".

 

Yes, @thedarkfourth is only slightly less reliable than the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

@Y'ttar Scaletail has a similar track record for being that last entry I receive.

 

Surely it was not me.
i wrote nothing, the struggle is real.

 

I'm deeply sorry, but this round i'm not gonna make it