2026 Flash Memoir Contest

What is Flash Memoir? Everybody has great stories to tell. What’s yours?

• A flash memoir shows readers how you (the narrator) experienced and reacted to a turning point in your life.
• Write about something that changed the way you viewed yourself or your world. Show what happened and how it affected you. Invite us into your emotional truths.

Please send us 750-words or less. We look for a protagonist, a conflict, a setting, excellent use of language, and an ending that makes a point. We enjoy stories with a discovery, complex characters, language that engages us, and a tone that rings true. Enlighten, inspire, or dazzle us. 

If the story feels squeezed at 750-words, don’t force it. There are plenty of journals where you can send your longer pieces.

PRIZES: There will be cash prizes of $35 and publication for all winners. There are usually 5-8 winners. I hope you will see this as a positive, inclusive opportunity.

I’ll post the opening date ASAP. The contest closes on March 2, 2026. 

Additional Tips for Success:

1. Leave out details that don’t help you tell this story.
2. Know why your story is unique. (If you don’t know, ask your characters.)
3. We only need your contact information instead of a whole query letter, but if you want to send your query, we won’t stop you.
4. NOTE: We had an excellent piece in the last contest that did not win an award because it was too long. The length matters! Following directions matters.
5. We like double-spaced manuscripts with standard, one-inch margins.
6. We prefer an easy-to-read font.

How do you write something so short?

• Focus on the moment that changed the protagonist.
• Start far into the story.
• Cut everything that isn’t essential.
• Let your verbs and nouns describe.
• Let tone, attitude, and behavior as well as dialogue get your ideas across.

Feeling stuck? Google “50 Word Stories” or “100 Word Stories” for examples and read our review of Pamlyn Casto’s Alive in the Flicker. Much of what applies to fiction also works well for memoir.

You can make this a simultaneous submission but please tell us immediately if it’s accepted elsewhere.

Strong suggestion: Don’t try to compress a longer story to fit the length. It never works. Submit longer stories to any of the many places seeking those. You’ll find some great places on our Contests and Markets page.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Use the black box that says “Submit Here” at the bottom of this page. If there’s a  problem, please use the Contact Box to let me know. Technology can be imperfect. Keep scrolling. The Submittable box is at the bottom of the page. 

QUESTIONS: Please ask. Use the Contact Box.

COPYRIGHT: You own it. If you republish, please say that it first appeared at Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com.

FOR BEST RESULTS:

1. Include your name, e-mail address, and title on the Submittable form, but include only your title in the submission so it remains anonymous. Please leave the header and footer blank.
2. Since we judge these anonymously, you don’t need a cover letter. If you are a finalist, we’ll ask for a bio.
3. Please double-space your submission. We recommend that you use a 14-point font that is easy to read. 
4. You own the copyright. If we publish your work, the rights still belong to you, though we ask you not to resubmit until 90 days after it appears on Writer Advice and give us credit if it is published elsewhere.
5. Simultaneous submissions accepted. 
6. If your work is accepted elsewhere, please notify us immediately.
7. Please hit the contact button and ask questions if anything is unclear or missing. Thank you! 

COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS CONTESTANTS:

“Thank you for your great advice. I appreciate it and will use it to improve my writing.”  –Shelley Malicote

“Your suggestions for improvement rock.”  –Shelley Stutchman

“WriterAdvice.com is one of my all-time most reliable and accessible sites for writers. I use it—and recommend it to my clients.” ~Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi award-winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers (http://howtodoitfrugally.com), poetry and fiction

“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve told about the great feedback you give to folks no matter how many entries you get.”   –Bill Buschel

“It’s such a refreshing experience to have some exchange — as most submissions disappear into the either like rogue satellites.” –Charles Watts 

“Your insights are excellent” –Dan Dubelman

“You are the first professional to offer feedback and your encouraging words have given me additional motivation!  It is reassuring to know that I was on the right track; you have a remarkable ability to give constructive feedback in a positive way (and you are absolutely correct). I look forward to submitting more stories and continuing to improve.” –Jamie Fouty

“I learned about this contest from the Submittable page. I then checked out your website and felt comfortable submitting my story as you seem like someone who genuinely wants to help and advise others.” –Roger Yetzer

“I’m always striving to improve my writing, and feedback from editors like you make it much easier to do so.”  –Margarite R. Stever

“Many thanks for your response, from it, I can tell you’re very good at what you do.” –Kisa, Visually Versed

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to read and analyze my work . . . It’s not every day a contest gives you comprehensive feedback instead of a simple yes/no!” –Lena Crown

“Thanks for the wonderful feedback, never, never, got that before in thirty years.” –Jenny Hickinbotham

Questions? Please ask using the Contact Box.