Driftwood Press

Open to: Work must be written in English, must not have been previously published, and must not be AI-generated.

Fiction-only in-house short story contest, open September 1 through January 31. Stories must be unpublished, written in English, and submitted anonymously; simultaneous submissions and non-AI-generated work are accepted. Soft limit: 1,000-5,000 words. Submission fee is $30, including a free Driftwood Press fiction title. Grand prize is $400; runner-ups receive $200 and publication.

Open to: Work must be written in English; translations are not accepted. The novella may not have had 50% or more published in a single prior publication.

Novella submissions are currently open. Driftwood seeks craft- and character-driven novellas with tangible worlds, dimensional relationships, and thematic and narrative coherence; it avoids young adult, fantasy, romance, science fiction, and mainstream mystery but welcomes strange and surreal narratives. Recommended length is 20,000-30,000 words, with some flexibility. Submissions typically take four to nine months, with a target of six.

A five-week Editors & Writers Seminar begins on a Monday selected by the applicant and includes video lessons, reading assignments, four assignments, and instructor feedback. The $250 cost includes course materials and a copy of On Writing Fiction.