This competition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who has submitted!
Paper Lanterns are delighted to announce our flash fiction competition! The theme is “Right Here, Right Now.”
Have you got lots of ideas about the current ways of the world around you? Are you looking for a short but sweet way to express all that you feel and think about the events in your life? Then this is the competition for you.
Details:
- This competition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who has submitted!
- The competition is open to anyone over 13 years old (teens and adults alike!)
- Submissions are divided into two categories:
- 13-18 years old
- 19+ years old
- Submission fee is €3
- All funds raised go directly towards the production costs of our journal and paying our contributors for issue two.
- There will be an opportunity for you to sponsor a writer’s submission, with our “pay it forward” system.
- We will announce two winners in July, one in each category.
The winning stories will be published on the Paper Lanterns website and each winner will receive a €15 prize.
Rules:
- Flash fiction entries must be max 400 words
- The theme “Right Here, Right Now” can be interpreted in any way you like
- There is no limit on the number of entries
- Entries must be suitable for a teenage audience
- Entries must not be published elsewhere (if you are submitting simultaneously, please let us know if you are accepted elsewhere)
- Please submit your entry in a Microsoft Word document, size 12 font
Do NOT include your name anywhere within the flash fiction document – we want to keep the judging process anonymous!
How to submit:
Follow this easy, two-step system
Step One:
- Donate €3 to our Ko-fi page (this counts as your submission fee!)
- Include your full name when you donate
- You will be given a receipt for your donation – take a screenshot of this or save it as a PDF (very important step!)
- Each submission costs €3 to enter (if you are entering two pieces of flash fiction, please donate €6 – for three entries, please donate €9 – and so on).
- Our Ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/paperlanterns
Step Two:
- Fill out our submission form (name, email, etc)
- You will be asked to upload proof of your submission (the screenshot / PDF of your receipt!)
- Upload your flash fiction entry as a Microsoft Word doc (please label the document as follows: Flash Fiction Competition – “title of the writing piece”)
- Do NOT have your name visible on the Word document (to keep the judging process anonymous)
- If you are submitting multiple entries, please upload them as separate documents)
- Our submission form: https://forms.gle/Eok7w6mkMAxy5SnS6
- And you’re done!
Can’t afford the fee?
Accessibility is an important part of our goals here at Paper Lanterns, which is why we are implementing a “pay it forward” system for this competition.
- If you would like to sponsor a submission fee (or a few!) – firstly, thank you very much!
- Secondly, you can donate on our Ko-fi page. Be sure to include your name and a note saying, “PAY IT FORWARD.”
If you are a writer who is experiencing financial difficulties and would like to avail of the Pay It Forward system, drop us an email at paperlanternsjournal@gmail.com and we will help you out.
If you have any questions about the competition, feel free to contact us at paperlanternsjournal@gmail.com
Good luck!
