2021 Short Story Contest
We are now only accepting adult (non-member and member) submissions online.
Details for submission are below.
The 2021 contests started on March 25 and submissions are due by June 30, 2021. STUDENTS AND MEMBERS USE THE OTHER ENTRY FORM BELOW.
Residents of Maryland, Virginia and Washington,
D.C. are eligible:
All entries MUST follow the above format.
- There are no restrictions on subject matter.
-Entries must be typed, 10 point or 12 point sized font, double-spaced, no more than 26 lines per page, one-inch margins and numbered pages.
-All stories must be fewer than 4,000 words and unpublished
-Writer's name should NOT appear on the first page.
Place a title on the first page.
The writer's name should NOT appear on subsequent pages of the story. Any identifying information included on the cover page will be removed and a number will be assigned to the entry before it is sent to the judges.
-Entries will be judged and will not be returned.
-First prize is $500 and an invitation to speak briefly about the story as part of the 25th annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival in October 2021.
-Two runner-up prizes of $100 each will be awarded at the festival.
The winning entries will be available online.
The entry fee for adult non-members is $15 per entry. This may be paid online using PayPal. Student and FSF members are free.
Checks can also be accepted.
If paying by check, they must be received by the contest deadline of June 31, 2021.
Make checks payable to:
F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc. and mail to:
F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc.
Rockville City Hall
111 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Questions may be emailed to:
(Note: An entry fee is waived if you are an F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference Inc., member as of January 2021.)
Congratulations to our 2020 Short Story Contest Winners!
(click story titles for PDFs of stories)
Adult winners
First Prize:
Raisa Tolchinsky
Video: 51:30 -106
Finalists:
Luke Woodard
Video 38:30-51
Briana Maley
Video 28 -38:30
Student winners
First Prize:
Finn Periz
Video: 15-24
Finalists:
Amanda Wu
Video: 2:39 -14
Caroline Dinh
Special thanks to Davina Thrower Smith, Mary Hopkins, Nate Brown and Eric Carzon for their leadership on the contest as well as volunteers from The Bethesda Writer's Center for their story reviews and to the Center for its logistical help making reviews go smoothly.