Flash 405
Ends on
Our April 2025 Flash 405 Contest will be judged by Francesca Spiegel.
The Theme: Quitting
From Francesca:
“To quit. To drop out. To survive. Pull the emergency brakes. To rethink. To decamp. Do something smart instead. If quitting were easy, we wouldn’t be talking about it. Rip off the Band-Aid. Get the hell out. To withdraw. To start fresh. To get free. To sever ties. To try and still be friends? What was it you quit, and why was it important to you? I would love to read your true story, your truth veiled in fiction, your drama, your word art.”
The Guidelines
- Fiction. A complete story, up to 405 words (get it?).
- Nonfiction. A complete story, up to 405 words.
- Poetry. One poem, up to 5 lines (including prose poems).
- Stage & Screen. A complete scene, up to 4 pages. Please format according to the standard unpublished playwriting or screenwriting format.
- Experimental. A complete short-form narrative utilizing innovative techniques and/or hybrid forms. Consider the spirit of flash as well as the limits of other categories for length guidelines.
The Prizes
The winners will all receive publication on the website. Our first and second place winners will also receive a cash prize, but here’s the fun part—there’s no limit to how much you could win. The more entries we receive, the larger the prize! Here’s a breakdown:
- 1st prize: Online publication + 40% of all entry fees.
- 2nd prize: Online publication + 20% of all entry fees.
- Honorable Mention: Online publication.
Concealed submissions
Flash 405 is a blind contest; please remove all identifying qualities from the final document. We still require your name and a brief bio with your Submittable submission form and cover letter.