The 31st annual Parsec Short Story Contest opens on January 1st and closes on March 31st.
There is never a fee to enter the Parsec Short Story contest thanks to the donations from our members and supporters . . . people like you!
Thank you for your support!
If you would like to help support the annual contest, please make a donation here.
Your donation ensures the continuation of this contest.
VIEW PREVIOUS WINNERS HERE
The 2027 Contest theme is “Non-Human Resources“
We’re looking for stories that capture both aspects of “Non-human resources.” By that we mean stories that engage with the idea of resources and/or workplaces, and that prominently feature some kind of non-human (which can be a human-derived thing like a ghost or were-creature, or humanoid/near-human aliens a la Dr Who or Star Trek, though we’ll be extra excited by stories featuring characters, entities, and lifeforms that are markedly different from humans). Bonus points for cheekiness, wit, and humor–we’re excited to see people have fun with this theme (or, at the least, more fun than you’d expect from a visit to HR).
Please note: We do not accept stories written by AI! We trust you to honor this request. Any submissions known to be created using AI will be automatically disqualified. (Use of spell check and voice-to-text dictation tools are unobjectionable.)
Dates and Deadlines: Contest opens on January 1st and closes on March 31st at 11:59:59pm EST.
Winners will be notified in July. All winners will be announced during the Confluence Conference.
Word count for all entries: No minimum, no more than 3500 words.
Requirements: Stories will be judged on writing quality and effective use of the contest theme.
Number: A maximum of one (1) submission per person is allowed.
We welcome submissions from young writers for our Youth Story Prize! Teen writers age 19 or younger and currently attending high school may submit to either the main short story contest or to the youth story prize, but not both.
Eligibility: The contest is open to non-professional writers who have not met the eligibility requirements for SFWA Full Membership. Writers meeting the SFWA Associate level of membership are eligible to submit to the contest.
Previous first-place winners and current year contest coordinators, readers and judges are ineligible to enter.
Publication status: Submitted stories must be original, previously unpublished*, and unsold to any other market.
*Please read the FAQ’s for info on “previously unpublished.”
Manuscript submissions should be in modern or classic proper manuscript format; double-spaced, and either Courier or Times New Roman font.
Acceptable MS formats include .doc, .docx, and .rtf.
Submitting to the contest implies consent for printing in the Confluence program book and publication in a short story contest ebook that will be distributed to Parsec members. The first place story will be printed in the Confluence program book. All winners will be included in the ebook. All other rights revert to the author upon publication.
Coordinators and first readers screen the entries and the ten best submissions are then read by the judges. Decisions of the judges and coordinators are final.
Still have questions? Please see our FAQ’s page before contacting the contest coordinator. A contact form is available on the FAQ’s page.
How to Submit:
Electronic submissions will be accepted through Submittable January 1st – March 31st.
If this is your first time using Submittable, you will need to create a FREE account with them. Instructions for this will appear after you hit the submit link. It’s easy and quick.
Prizes:
First-place receives $200 and publication in the Confluence program book and 2026 short story contest ebook.*
Second-place receives $100 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook.
Third-place receives $50 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook.
Youth Story Prize receives $50 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook.
The Youth Story category is for ages up to 19 years IF you are still enrolled in and attending high school at the time of submission.
Payments to winners will be in August.
The short story contest ebook will be distributed to Parsec members and contest winners. It will not be otherwise available.
Coordinator:
Scribble House exists to connect writers in Western Pennsylvania with knowledge, resources, and community. Founded by two writers and lit mag editors based in Pittsburgh, Scribble House runs the Feedback Open Mic series and annual Scribble House Lit Fest, along with other workshops and writerly meet-ups. You can see what they’re up to at ScribbleHousePGH.com.
Judges:
Dave Housley is the author of five novels and five story collections, most recently the novel-in-stories “Aliens Attack!” and the collection “Looney.” He is one of the founding editors of Barrelhouse, and the primary organizer of the Conversations and Connections: Practical Advice on Writing conference, which is held at American University. He is the Director of Web Strategy for Penn State Online Education.
Kosoko Jackson is the Lambda Literary Award–winning author of the USA Today bestseller The Forest Demands Its Due, as well as two other young adult novels, Survive the Dome and Yesterday is History. He also writes adult books, including The Macabre (Harper), I’m (So) Not Over You, and A Dash of Salt and Pepper. He lives in New Jersey. Visit him at kosokojackson.com.
Amanda Pica is a Pennsylvania-based editor and author of speculative and upmarket fiction. Amanda’s short fiction has been published by F(r)iction’s Dually Noted, Story Nook, and Wyld Flash, and she is co-author of the novel The Wordsmiths. Amanda is the editor-in-chief of Hollow Oak Press, www.hollowoakpress.com, and she can be found on Instagram and Bluesky @aspicawrites.