Blank Spaces and Chicken House Press presents
THE 50/50 BLANK SPACES FICTION ANTHOLOGY CONTEST
Deadline to enter is August 31, 2022 | Opened on June 1, 2022
OUR SECOND CASH PRIZE CONTEST!
The contest will pay 50% of entry fee proceeds* to the top story as well as publication within the short story anthology** (including three complimentary copies), automatic Pushcart prize nomination, and an offer for a manuscript critique with potential to publish a personal full length work/collection***. If entries exceed our expectations, cash prizes may also be awarded to second and third place. Watch this page for updates.
Each entry is subject to the $10 entrance fee - learn why below.
THEME: SMALL TOWN SUMMER NIGHTS
We are looking for a wide variety of approaches to this theme and are open to stories that are light or dark, humorous or sad, romantic or mysterious. Ideally, we’d love to see you pull us in every direction possible! Are you up for the challenge?
These numbers will be updated as entries and funds are processed. Would you like to become a sponsor?)
Cover art from last year, featuring photography from finalist Ron Zajac. Final 2022 cover art will be determined by the mood of the 2022 winning stories.
Feedback from some of the 2021 finalists:
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Ronald Zajac, 2021 finalist
Being part of The Things We Leave Behind was one of my most stimulating experiences, made all the better by the sense of fellowship among the authors included in this anthology.
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Jennifer Moffatt, 2021 finalist
Everything about this contest was so positive for me!… Communication was clear, effective, timely, helpful, and friendly. Information was shared before I even knew I wanted to know it! I always felt informed, valued, and supported.
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Barbara Lehtiniemi, 2021 finalist
One thing I liked about the 2021 Blank Spaces Fiction Anthology contest was that the participation buzz kept going. It's not like a contest where you submit your entry and you wait through six months of silence, at the end of which there might be an email saying your story did/did not make the cut. In the Blank Spaces contest there were clear timelines stated from the outset, with monthly stages as the contest progressed at a cracking pace from deadline, to longlist, to shortlist, to winner. As an entrant, I felt engaged with the contest progress from start to finish.
A longlist (20) will be released in October. A shortlist (8) will be announced in November.
Winner will be announced in December, 2022.
The longlist will be selected by Chicken House Press owner, Alanna Rusnak through a process of blind reading. Excerpts of the longlisted stories will be published to the Blank Spaces website. The community will be invited to comment on their favourites and make pitches for their selection, but the shortlist will ultimately be decided by a blind jury of five.
All shortlisted authors (selected by jury) will be anthologized in (and receive a free copy of) the publication which will release in April 2023.
We are looking for exceptional fiction by Canadians!
You must be Canadian
Your story cannot be published anywhere else and must be between 1000 and 3000 words
Multiple entries are accepted, but each is subject to an individual submission form and fee
THE SHORTLIST JURY
AND INTRODUCING MARINA L. REED, OUR GRAND PRIZE JUDGE
Marina L. Reed lives just north of Toronto. She is passionate about writing and is always creating. The author of eleven books, numerous freelance articles, as well as scripts for CBC television, she brings a keen eye and love for storytelling to her position as the grand prize judge.
All entrants must be Canadian - by birth or by legal citizenship proceedings.
All entrants are subject to the contest entry fee.
A person may enter more than one story but each will be subject to a submission fee and separate form.
Previous winners/finalists of this contest are more than welcome to participate again.
Contest entries must be original, non-published works, and the submitter must be the sole author. Previously published works are not eligible - including publication on a personal website or blog. Authors who are not selected for the longlist are welcome to publish their story online or submit to other publications immediately following the longlist announcement in October. Longlist authors who are not selected for the shortlist are welcome to publish their story in full online or submit to other publications immediately following the shortlist announcement in November.
Entries found to be plagiarized will be immediately withdrawn from the contest. Submission fee will not be returned.
Upon submission you are giving non-exclusive rights to publish your story. Stories may appear on our website and in possible future printed or digital collections either by Blank Spaces or by Chicken House Press.
Work must be suitable for a general audience and in line with Blank Spaces’ values: no gratuitous sex, violence, hate, or explicit language.
Abide by the word count limit and keep your submission between 1000 and 3000 words. Entries that don’t comply will be disqualified. Submission fee will not be returned.
Blank Spaces and Chicken House Press employees, volunteers, and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter this contest.
Submit your story file through the contest submission portal. You will be asked to upload a PDF. Please ensure your PDF does not contain identifying markers, including your name, website, or social media handle - DO ensure the title of your PDF matches the title you put in the submission form.
If you would like to withdraw your piece from the contest you may do so by contacting us at info@blankspaces.ca. Your fee will not be refunded.
Your fee of $10 will help us award the winner, honour our judge’s time with a small honorarium, and fund the publication of the winning collection. If we haven’t gained sufficient entries to fund the publication by the posted deadline, we reserve the right to extend the deadline to encourage more entries.
ARE YOU READY?
Would you like to be a sponsor? Sponsorship will be recognized with a logo placement and direct link below, a listing within the publication, and mentions in posts and press releases related to this contest. Available in Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. Sponsorship totals will be split between the prize pool and the publication expenses.
Click the ‘Become a Sponsor’ button and complete the form, then go to your cart to complete your donation payment.
*Proceeds are entrance fees minus transaction fees - (50% is approximately $4.70 per entry that gets added to the prize pool)
**Anthology publication will split royalties between publisher (50%) and contributors (50%) once publishing costs are covered in accordance with Chicken House Press policy.
***Potential publishing offer from Chicken House Press which will entail a discount on the publishing service of your choice or a full length work/collection published with a 50/50 royalty share.
Our Contest Partners
Gold Sponsors
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Silver Sponsors
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Bronze Sponsors
