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Ready to Make a Big Impact with a Small Bite?

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Welcome to the Small Bites Short Story Contest, where revelation meets resonance and your words could unlock publishing prestige, literary recognition, and a seat at the table with Indies United. Whether you're a debut storyteller or a seasoned scribe, this is your chance to illuminate the page in 5,000 words or less.

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From suspense to steampunk, we’re seeking original tales sparked by clarity, transformation, or truth exposed. Winners earn cash prizes, anthology placement, and a chance to join our publishing family—plus an invitation to the Inklight Festival in June.

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One story. One spark. One moment of revelation.

Small Bites Short Story Contest

Accepting submissions from November 1st to January 31st

Entry Fee: $25

This year’s Small Bites theme—What the Light Revealed—celebrates the spirit of the Inklight Festival by inviting authors across all accepted genres to explore moments of illumination. Whether it’s a truth uncovered, a secret exposed, or a transformation sparked by something seen too clearly, this prompt challenges writers to capture the power of revelation. From fantasy to suspense, historical fiction to sci-fi, every genre offers a unique lens on what happens when the light hits and nothing stays hidden.

Open to all authors, including first-time authors, around the world. We are accepting original short stories of 5000 words or less, written in English that have not been previously published.​

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We are accepting the following genres:

Narrative Fiction

Historical Fiction

Suspense/Thrillers

Science Fiction

Dystopian

Steampunk

Fantasy

Urban Fantasy

Mystery

Paranormal​​

 

A flicker in the archive. A whisper in the fog.

What will your light reveal?

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​*** Grand Prize winner will be selected from 1st place winners in each genre ***

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Submit your short story for this exciting opportunity and have it considered for cash prizes, awards, inclusion in the Small Bites anthology, a publishing contract with Indies United, literary exposure, and other exciting prizes.

 

When submitting your short story:

  • Only one story per submission

  • Must be publishing ready – No rough drafts

  • Must be in PDF format

  • No information that would identify the author within the PDF

    • We ask for the author's identifying information to be removed to curb bias while judging the stories

    • This helps keep the judging fair and removes unconscious bias from the process

    • When your story is submitted, we remove your name from the document and assign it a number before sending the story to our judges

    • Your name and other contact information is kept in a separate document that is not shared with the judges

  • PDF file name should be set up as follows: Last Name, First Name – Story Title – Genre

  • Payment must be made at the time of submission

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Winners will be notified in March. We wish you success with your submission.​

Button will become active Nov 1, 2025
Submit Your Entry Here

***please ensure payment is made AFTER completing this form and clicking on the SUBMIT button.***

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE JUNE 2025 AUTHOR RETREAT & AWARDS PHOTO PAGE
VISIT LAST YEAR'S WINNERS PAGE
CLICK HERE TO FIND LAST YEAR'S ANTHOLOGY, THE PERFECT MATCH & OTHER SMALL BITES STORIES

*Note: Starting in 2026, our annual retreat and awards celebration will be part of the newly rebranded Inklight Festival—a signature experience for writers & readers.

AWARDS:

 

Grand Prize Winner Receives:

  • An invitation to join Indies United Publishing House

  • Their short story listed first in an anthology published by Indies United

    • The book will be registered with the Library of Congress [all authors will be annotated in the anthology with the Library of Congress upon registry]

    • One free print copy of the anthology

  • Invitation to the Inklight Festival and Awards Dinner, the first weekend in June.

    • If the author attends the festival, they will;

      • receive their award in person during the Awards Dinner

      • all fees for attendance will be waived [does not include lodging or travel expenses]

  • Digital award medallion and a downloadable PDF award certificate

  • Cash Award

 

Second Place Winner in Genre Receives:

  • Invitation to join Indies United Publishing House

  • Short story published in an anthology by Indies United

    • The book will be registered with the Library of Congress [all authors will be annotated in the anthology with the Library of Congress upon registration]

    • One free print copy of the anthology

  • Invitation to the Inklight Festival and Awards Dinner, the first weekend in June.

    • If the author attends the festival, they will receive their award certificate in person

  • Digital award medallion and a downloadable PDF award certificate

  • Cash Award

 

Third Place Winner in Genre Receives:

  • Invitation to the Inklight Festival and Awards Dinner, the first weekend in June.

    • If the author attends the festival, they will receive their award certificate in person

  • Digital award medallion and a downloadable PDF award certificate

  • Cash Award

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***All Cash Awards are subject to the number of submissions.

Amount to be announced in the awards notification email.***

Button will become active Nov 1, 2025
Submit Your Entry Here

***please ensure payment is made AFTER completing this form and clicking on the SUBMIT button.***

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