American Short Fiction’s Short Story Contest

Fall 2008

First Prize receives $1,000 and publication.

Second Prize receives $500.

Final Judge: Sam Lipsyte

The contest is open from September 15 to December 8. Entries must be submitted by December 8, 2008. All entries will be considered for publication.

Complete Guidelines

• All entries must be unpublished and 6,000 words or less. Please type and double-space.
• The contest entry fee is $20. You may upload only one story per entry, but you can enter as many times as you like. The $20 fee entitles the entrant to a copy of the contest issue. Before uploading a story, entrants should pay the $20 entry fee through our publisher's secure online store. Keep track of your invoice number. You will need this number when you submit your contest entry to the American Short Fiction Submission Manager.
• All entries should be uploaded to the American Short Fiction Submission Manager. Stories can be submitted in .rtf, .doc, and .pdf formats. Do not submit files in .docx.
• In the comments box, please include your name, address, phone number, and the title of the work. Entrant’s name should not appear in the file itself.
• Previously published stories and stories forthcoming at other publications cannot be considered. Entries may be simultaneous submissions, but the entry fee is nonrefundable if the story is accepted elsewhere. If your contest entry is accepted by another publication, please log in to the Submission Manager to withdraw it from consideration.
• Winner will be announced on March 31, 2009. Emails with details will be sent to all contestants.
• The first round of judging will be by American Short Fiction editors and editorial assistants. Ten stories will be forwarded to contest judge Sam Lipsyte for the final blind judging.
• Current employees or others affiliated with Badgerdog Literary Publishing are ineligible for consideration or publication. In addition, writers who have a strong personal or professional relationship with the judge are asked to abstain from entering the contest in order to prevent a conflict of interest.
• We comply with the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) Code of Ethics.

Contest Code of Ethics

CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believe that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. Intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree (1) to conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; (2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines—defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and (3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.

Judge Bio

Sam Lipsyte is the author of Venus Drive, The Subject Steve, and Home Land. His short story collection Venus Drive was named one of the top twenty-five books of the year by the Voice Literary Supplement, and his latest novel, Home Land, was listed among the New York Times Notable Books of 2005. His work has also appeared in Open City, the New York Times Book Review, Slate, The Quarterly, Mother Jones, Nerve, Spin, and the Minus Times, among many others. Originally from New Jersey, he currently lives in Manhattan and teaches fiction at Columbia University. He recently won a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Questions?

Contact us at editors@americanshortfiction.org.