Short Fiction Break is partnering with The Write Practice to host a new writing contest in which everyone gets published.
2025 Fall Writing Contest
We’re inviting all writers to write a new story inspired by the theme of our contest; workshop it in The Write Practice community, our partner writing community; and submit it for publication here at Short Fiction Break. You can check out the contest details here.
MEET THE JUDGES
Learn more about the judges below and consider hiring them to help with your next writing project.
Jake Strife is the prolific author of more than twenty-six scifi, fantasy, and horror novels. From zombies to hilarious fantasy worlds he’s crafted a multiverse of several series that cross time and space to battle for existence itself. Other credits include Certified Book Coach, screenwriter, character designer, and professional Game Master. Work with Jake.
Julia Raffel is a writer and Write Practice certified book coach. She follows story magic wherever it takes her, traveling to new countries and exciting locations to fill her creative well. When at home, she spends her days with her demon cat, Oreo, who has a continuous hunger for flesh, and her Pitbull husky mix, Willow, who is more shark than dog most days. Once construction is complete you can connect with her at juliaraffelauthor.com or on her instagram account: @official.juliaraf. Work with Julia.
Thanks for all your hard work judges!
READERS’ CHOICE AWARD
While the judges considered the entries, we invited you to vote for your favorite story to win the Readers’ Choice Award.
Voting has now closed and the winner will be announced very soon!
WRITING CONTEST STORIES
Huge congratulations to all the writers who entered the contest. You can find all the stories writers chose to publish in the contest below.
If you entered a story in the contest, we encourage you to read this guide to help you get the most out of publication on Short Fiction Break.
Closure by Elizabeth Poyser
The Past Never Stays in the Past by Catherine A. Menz
Blind Justice: A Call for Duty by Melvia Zeigler
The Photograph by Sherry Avery
The Dark Horse by Rory Badland
The Haunting of Abbie Rose by A. J. Aisling
No Single Flame by Nicole Beeman-Cadwallader
Perfect Story by Cindy Bergquist
The Whole of Me by Marion Bolton
Three Seconds to Hide by DeAnna Shae
Rejection by Frances Haysman
Sins of the Father by Scarlett Boleyn
The Directions by Jeffrey Campbell
This is On by Darla Clement
Myth-ing the Truth by Patrick Cole
The Secret of Sandy Creek by Mike Conradt
The Banking Bureau by Karen Crawford
The Silver Earring by Alejandra Cue
Ambush by Chris Cunnane
Noa’s Session by James Hipp
The Pheonix by Lailee Metcalf
Sal’s Serpent by Cristina Dominguez
Saturn Rising by Stephanie Doty
The Shattered Silence by Bonnie Bowden
Family by Arnold Edwards
Faith by another name by Daejewel
Was I Wanted? by Darlene Elder
Blood Bond by David Elderton
Lenny Penny by Jewel Eliese
The Wind That Uncovers The Bones by Donley Ferguson
Low Hanging Fruit by Ryan Fleming
Whispering Words by Andrea Frost
Path to Paradise by Shaina Gabayeron
Buried Truths by Fernanda Gassi
The Buried Treasure of Hagdragon Village by Sandra Gharabaghli
What the Forest Kept by J. M. Gil
Ritual of Discovery by HD Freeman
Loss is a Four-Letter Word by Katy Bell
New Beginnings by Sharon Hetherington
Like Old Times by RC Hipp
Buried Truths by Anne Jacobi
Unearthed Truths by Rebecca Jean
The Enhancement by Sandy Juker
Through the Side Door by Darcy Kate
The Wrong Piece at the Wrong Time by Leslie Keig
Uncle Aaron by D. H. Keller
Broken Promises by Allie April Knox
A Coin Toss by Michael Konigsberg
Coloring the Past by Lili Kupper
A Mother’s Love by Jasmine LaMothe
Blackwood Manor: The Archivist by Iris Lau
There’s Gnome Place Like Home by Laura Lewis
Shore Surveillance -2050s by Steve du Mer
The Medal by Gary G Little
Records Don’t Burn Themselves by Elise Luce
The Sound Beneath the Silence by Bonnie J. Lupton
The Most Dangerous Lie by C. J. Adcock
The night we don’t remember by Jaysharie T Mckenzie
The Button Seller by A.K. Mountrakis
Uncrumpled by Stephanie Newbern
Recognition by Louisa Nufield
Trusted Family by Carrie O’Keefe
The Truths We Create by Kellie Ogawa
The Hero’s Curse by Laura Oviedo
Letters to the Fire by Riley Paige
The White Tulip of the Prodigal Son by Philip J Palmieri
Kick from the Grave by W.E. Pearson
Justice Is Served by Sara Pehrsson
No Cause for Alarm by Evelyn Puerto
The Pen’s Whisper by Adelaide Travis
The Finer Points of Hospitality by Joanna Dunn Samson
The Echo by aj snowdon
The Letter by Arthur Stewart
Remnants by Paul Venderley
Hey Girlie by L.V. Voss
A Brother’s True Colors by Nalla OrLong
Joie de Vivre! (mustard seed) by Judy Wiesner
Ask Me to Stay by Tilda Wolf
Wake by Miguel A. Zamora
Good Doctor, Bad Child by Koa Zan