About the Short Story Contest
This contest is open to eligible residents of the U.S., UK, and Canada. Entrants must be 18+. VOID where prohibited by law. This contest is not open to employees or contractors affiliated with Beta Reader Bookings LLC. Limit one entry per household and email address. Subsequent entries are void.
We’re looking for stories that elicit emotion—sadness, anger, fear, love, or any other emotion you can think of. Word count must not exceed 1,500. Stories will also be judged on the following:
- Flow
- Creativity
- Genre Alignment
- Emotional Impact
The owner of Beta Reader Bookings LLC will serve as the judge for this contest.
How to Enter
There are two ways to enter the short story contest. If you’d like to purchase a beta reading service for your short story, you’ll automatically be entered into the contest. If you purchase feedback under the appropriate listing, you will receive feedback on your story within one week, whether or not you win.
If you’d like to enter the contest by purchasing feedback, you may do so here: Feedback on Short Story (Automatic Contest Entry)
Free entry: Alternatively, you may send your story to [email protected]. There is no fee for this form of entry, but you will not receive feedback unless you win. Stories should be typed in the body of the email. Your email should also include your genre, your name, and the following statement: By entering this contest, I confirm that I am legally able to enter this contest, and I agree to the official contest rules. Free entries that do not follow these instructions will not be considered.
Purchasing feedback does not increase your chance of winning.
Contest Winners
The winners of the short story contest will be announced on August 15, 2025. The first prize winner will receive one free beta reading service for any service that does not exceed the word counts listed online (a value of up to $185). The second prize winner will receive a free beta reading service for up to 10,000 words (a value of up to $30). The winners will receive feedback within the standard timeframe. Expedited turnaround times are not available for contest winners. Winners may redeem their prizes between Aug. 15, 2025 and December 30, 2025.
Winners will be chosen by the contest judge, who is also the owner of the company. Winners will be notified via email on Aug. 15, 2025. Winners who do not redeem prizes within the above timeframes forfeit their prizes. Beta Reader Bookings LLC will not be held liable if we cannot contact winners, whether due to entrants mistyping email addresses, failing to check spam or promotion folders, or for any other reason.
Contest Dates and Limits
This contest is limited to the first 200 entries. Entries will be accepted until Aug. 1, 2025, or until the 200-entry limit is reached, whichever is sooner. This page will be updated when the contest closes.