Short story writers, grab your laptops for the 9th annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest, presented by Kent District Library and Schuler Books.

Writers of all ages can enter, with cash prizes awarded for Readers' Choice, Judges' Choice and Judges' Runner-Up. We also have a category for Spanish-language stories from kids age 11 and younger. Winning entries will also be published by Chapbook Press.

The basics

• One short story per author
• Maximum story length: 3,000 words
• Entry fee: $10 for ages 18 and older (free for ages 17 and younger)
• Contest open to Michigan residents only
• Complete contest guidelines available in English and en Español

What's new this year?

In the past, we've had an all-ages Spanish-language category. This presented a challenge to reviewers and judges due to the wide age range of authors. So this year, we're piloting a Spanish-language Youth category for kids ages 11 and younger. We hope to be able to add Spanish-language categories for teens and adults in the future.

In addition, judges will award one writer a slot in Johnathan Rand's 2021 Author Quest writing camp for kids ages 10-13.