Judge: Arria Deepwater

Prize: $1,000 prize, publication & 20 free copies

Fee: $30

Dates: October 1-November 16, 2025

Basic guidelines: Submit one or more stories with non-realistic/speculative elements totaling 7,500 to 17,500 words.

The winner of the annual Omnidawn Fabulist Fiction Chapbook / Novelette Contest wins a $1,000 prize, publication of the perfect bound pocket series chapbook / novelette with a full color cover by Omnidawn, 20 free copies of the winning chapbook / novelette, and extensive publicity through social media, our subscriber lists and more. 

Detailed guidelines

(also found on our website, with previous contest winners: https://www.omnidawn.com/fiction-contest/)

Contest entry fee: 

1. For this contest, Fabulist Fiction includes magical realism, fantasy, science fiction, horror, fable, and myth. Stories can be primarily realistic, with elements of non-realism, or primarily or entirely non-realistic.
2. Open to all writers worldwide. There are no citizenship or residency requirements or limitations.
3. Postal submissions are NOT accepted.
4. Please do not include images of any kind in your submission. Your submission will be ineligible if you do, and we will be unable to refund your money or provide individual notification.
5. Manuscripts must be in English, although it is perfectly acceptable to include some text in other languages.
6. This contest is identity-hidden (formerly referred to as a "blind contest"), so you must remove identifying information from your manuscript before submitting.
7. Manuscript submissions for all contests must be original. Entries using characters or other elements of existing works are eligible ONLY IF those existing works are in the public domain.
8. Sometimes an individual story or poem or two from a chapbook collection, written by the author submitting, may have already been published in print or digital form, but the collected work submitted should be at least 50% new. And the author should hold the rights of the entire work submitted.
9. Translations and collaborations by more than one author are not eligible.
10. We recommend that you keep the total length of your manuscript between 7,500 and 17,500 words, consisting of either one story or multiple stories.
11. Simultaneous submissions to other contests or presses are perfectly acceptable. Please let us know if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
12. Revisions are not allowed to a manuscript after it has been submitted to the contest. However, the winning author may choose to make minor edits to the manuscript before publication, with approval of the judge.
13. Multiple submissions to this contest are acceptable, but each manuscript must be submitted separately, with a separate entry fee.
14. Entries must be received during the period the contest is open.
15. Past or present students, colleagues, or close friends of the judge are NOT ELIGIBLE. For the purpose of this contest the following definitions apply:  A “student” is defined as someone who has taken one or more semesters or quarter courses from the judge, but we do not consider someone who has taken only a weekend or week long workshop to be a “student” of the judge.  "Colleagues” includes anyone who has worked with the judge, usually in the same department at a university or college (someone who has worked in a different, unrelated department at the same university or college, and who has had very little contact with the judge is not considered a “colleague.”) A “close friend” is defined as someone who has met with the judge socially, for instance for a private dinner. Someone who knows the judge, but only meets and greets the judge at readings and other events is not considered a “close friend.” Once you have had a “student,” “colleague,” or “close friend” relationship with the judge, even if it was many years ago, you are ineligible for this contest. Please feel free to ask us if you're not sure. 
16. ALSO NOT ELIGIBLE: past and present staff and volunteers/interns for Omnidawn, authors of books Omnidawn has published, and winners of previous Omnidawn BOOK and CHAPBOOK contests. Winners of Omnidawn's Broadside Contest are still eligible to enter and win Omnidawn BOOK and CHAPBOOK contests.
17. A few small errors in your manuscript, including spelling, punctuation, formatting, or typographic errors, will not reduce your chances of winning. (We fully understand that such errors sometimes occur for everyone, and that these can be easily corrected later.)

The fabulist fiction contest winner will be announced to our email list and on our website page. We will send you an email notification of the contest winner and finalists.