The 2023 Short Story Contest:
“PICTURESQUE”
Write us a short work of fiction about something extraordinarily idyllic.
A story of passion, nostalgia, or dreams.
Enter by the deadline for a chance to win this beautiful Olympia SM9!
SUBMISSIONS CLOSED
Thank you for participating everyone! Winners will be announced in a couple weeks, see you all next year!
Sponsored by Philly Typewriter, in partnership with Tampa Typewriter and ElGranero Typewriter Gift Shop
The How-To
Below you will see two buttons. One says Rules, the other says Donate. The first link obviously tells you what to do to enter the contest. It is free, you are not required to pay a dime. The second link though, that one is to help me out, it is completely optional. Donations offset the cost of the prizes, as well as cost of shipping said prizes.
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Erica Yamamoto - A uniquely talented creator with incredible skills in story-telling and digital art.
Arielle Noel - Veteran short story judger and avid consumer of literature.
Sarah Everett - Avid typewriter collector and the personality behind the ever-popular YouTube channel Just.My.Typewriter.
Christian Gutierrez - A fellow typewriter user, creative thinker, and heck of a good analog photographer
CLOSED
ABOUT
Hello everyone! I started this contest in April of 2020 at the beginning of the Pandemic. It was a difficult time for a great many of us, and I thought it would be a good idea to give people a project to put their minds to. The contest prize was a small typewriter, a fitting end goal for a writing contest, I thought. I have to say it went really well. Well enough that I am turning it into an annual event. It is, however, impossible without your participation! So if you have already participated, I thank you very much for helping to create a fun activity for the online writing community. If you have yet to participate, I thank you in advance. And if you are a returning participant, welcome back and good luck to you!
FAQ:
Do I need to pay for anything at any point ever? Not for this contest you don’t! Unless you want to, then click donate.
Does my submission need to be typewritten? Nope, but they do need to be legible.
How do I submit? There are several ways to submit, you can use the drop-box form below which helps me keep everything organized, or you can email your submission to ChicagoTyperCo@Gmail.com with the subject header “Short Story Contest.” In some cases, you can call me and arrange to mail in your submission, but it must be post marked by the due date.
Can anyone enter? Absolutely! All I ask is that submissions are written in English, and make use of polished grammar and spelling. Open to all ages from all corners of the world.
Can I enter again if I’ve already entered last year? Absolutely, you can enter as many times as you want (one story per contest), but a previous year’s winner cannot win again!
Do you cover international shipping? YES!
Will my stories be published elsewhere? Not at all! The three winners will appear down below in the “winner archive” but the copyrights to the stories are 100% yours. You own it all. Your stories will not be published in any other media, or be used for any promotional activity. You are free to do with them what you wish after the end of the contest.
Can I use something I have already written? Yes and no, but mostly no. No recycled stories please, the goal of the contest is to write something original and new. That being said, you can draw inspiration from your previous works, just no resubmissions please! They must be written FOR the contest.
How will I know if I am the one true and glorious winner? You will get a divine message from the heavens above that will strike you through the brain like a golden arrow—the ground will rumble, the air will grow warm, and the sky will open to the cosmos. The voice of a sentient quadruple-winged raven with Reese’s Pieces for eyes will call out to you and announce you as “the Chosen One.” Either that or you’ll receive an email.
Past Contest Winners:
2023 Short Story Contest Winners
Click down below to see the top 3 winners, first through third, picked by our judges. Six Memories of Billy Thatcher, by Roux Bedrosian; 1960’s Retro Red Portable JCPenny AM/FM Radio! Works when plugged in!, by J. W. Surface; and Dark Night of the Soul, by Betty Narm.
2022 Short Story Contest Winners
Click down below to see the top 3 winners, first through third, picked by our judges. Under the Ice, Under the Snow, by Elizabeth Kepsel; Bumf*ck Nowhere, by Kevin Stallaert; and The Upgrade, by K.A. Lewis.
2021 Short Story Contest Winners
Click down below to see the top 3 stories picked by out panel of judges! Monument by Nick DuBois, Panic by Jasmyne Riniker, and Lawrence Beaumont’s Journal by Rhiannon Bloss.
2020 Short Story Contest Winners
Click the link below to see the top 3 stories picked by our judges. Emerald by Adeline Singer, Tears in Heaven by Kyle Feuerbach, and Anya by Betsy Martin.