Write your way to a free spot in our upcoming online retreat: Living the Writer’s Life—a live, online, 8-session retreat-in-place from January to May 2026.

CONTEST PROMPT

Your mission: Write a 600-word flash-fiction or flash-memoir piece about a time you helped someone or someone helped you. Go wild with it, as long as the sentiment of giving and receiving is there—e.g., write about a time when a flea helped an elephant, or a chair helped a table. Surprise us! Delight us! Make us cry and laugh and catch our breath with an “Oh, wow.”

In the spirit of doing something nice for others, the purpose of this contest is to financially fund a writer who otherwise would not be able to attend our online retreat.

SUBMISSION FEE

$25

Think of this contest as the embodiment of the writing prompt above: As the winner of the contest, you will be able to attend the retreat for free, and all contest proceeds go toward helping a writer in need attend the online retreat with you.

After tapping the button above, proceed to the shopping-cart icon on the top righthand corner of this page. And then email us—and be sure to include your submission in the body of the email. Good luck!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• The work must be your own original work.

• No more than 600 words (can be fewer), double spaced.

• No AI-generated content

• Submission period: September 15 - November 15, 2025

• Hit the submit button below to enter, and then email us with your submission in the body of the email (do not attach a file).

• If you can’t afford the submission fee, email us, and we will work something out!