2026 Press 53 Award for Short Fiction
Ends on
The Press 53 Award for Short Fiction is awarded annually to an outstanding, unpublished short story collection. This competition is open to any writer age 18 or older, regardless of his or her publication history, provided the manuscript is written in English and the author lives in the United States or one of its territories.
Award: The winner of this contest will receive publication by Press 53, a $1,000 cash advance and 53 copies of the book; all prizes will be awarded upon publication. If a runner-up is selected, publication, a $500 advance, and 25 copies.
Reading fee: A reading fee of $30 must be paid for each entry. Reading fees are nonrefundable.
Dates for submission: Enter September 1 through December 31, 2025
How to Enter:
Online via Submittable, your online submissions manager. Note: We no longer accept entries by mail.
Announcement of winner: The winner of the Press 53 Award for Short Fiction will be announced no later than May 3, 2026 to all entrants by way of Submittable and on the Press 53 website, Facebook, and via email to our subscribers. A list of finalists will also be announced at that time.
Confirmation of entry: Confirmation of receipt of your entry will be sent via e-mail by Submittable immediately after submission.
Multiple submissions: Writers may submit multiple story collections. A separate reading fee is required for each entry.
Judging: Kevin Morgan Watson, Press 53 Publisher & Editor in Chief, will be the only judge for the competition; the story collections will be judged “blind” and judged solely on the strength of the stories as a collection, and the winning collection will be published by Press 53. The judge’s decision is final. Please note: due to the volume of entries, feedback or critique on individual stories or the collection is not possible.
Eligibility: The competition is open to manuscripts written in the English language from writers 18 years of age and older, regardless of their publishing history, who live in the United States or one of its territories. Previously published stories may be (and probably should be) included in the collection.
Ineligibility: Previously published story collections, including self-published collections available in print or ebook, are not eligible. Individuals who work for Press 53 or have published a book with Press 53 are not eligible to enter.
Story Collection Guidelines (please read carefully):
1. Manuscripts should contain a collection of short stories, including flash and micro fiction.
2. Manuscript must include a table of contents with page numbers. The stories should be double-spaced with pages numbered and set in a standard 12-point font (such as Times New Roman, Minion, Garamond, etc.).
3. Manuscript should be around 100 to no more than 250 pages in length. We do not favor one length over the other. Stories previously published in magazines, journals, and elsewhere can be (a probably should be) included in the manuscript.
4. The author's name should not appear on the manuscript. We will find your contact information via Submittable after the winner has been selected.
5. An acknowledgments page for previous publications of stories in the collection should not be included. We are judging the stories only, not your previous publication record.
Any questions or concerns, other than technical issues with the submissions manager, please contact Editor@Press53.com
Submissions for the Press 53 Award for Short Fiction will open September 1, 2025 and will close at midnight Eastern Time on December 31, 2025. Press 53 reserves the right to extend the deadline.