⏳ Weekly Writing Contest | September 22: 100 Words

Submit your entry by Friday, September 27, 5pm BST / 12pm ET / 9am PT

Artwork by Emma Winterschladen

Welcome to the first Weekly Writers' Hour Contest!

Our inaugural challenge is all about brevity and precision.

Prompt: 100 Words

Write a complete piece, in the genre of your choosing, using exactly 100 words.

Flex your creativity and craft a tight, compelling piece.

Whether you choose to write fiction, nonfiction or poetry, this is your opportunity to explore the power of concise storytelling.

Unpublished pieces of exactly 100 words in any genre are eligible for this contest.

Submissions are due by Friday, September 27th at 5pm BST / 12pm ET / 9am PT.

Keep reading below for more information on prizes and FAQs – plus a note about why we chose this prompt.

Happy writing!
The Writers’ Hour Magazine Team

A Note from the Editorial Team:

This week, we’re inviting you to practice crafting a compelling piece of writing using only 100 words. This is more than just a prompt—it's a chance to develop the skill of being intentional with every single word.

Fitting a complete narrative arc into such a small space sharpens your storytelling, pushes you to cut excess, and refines your writing voice. Every word must earn its place. Best of all, it’s a fun, rigorous way to strengthen your ability to engage readers from the very first sentence.

For this contest, we’re looking for pieces that move and surprise us in 100 words.

We’re excited to see what you create.

How to Submit:

• Submissions should be made through our online submission platform, Submittable, and formatted as a Word Doc.

• For more details, please read the full Contest Guidelines.

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The winning entries will receive:

First Prize:

• $100 USD (about £75 GBP)

• Publication in Writers’ Hour Magazine

• 3-month complimentary London Writers’ Salon Silver Membership

• Commemorative Writers’ Hour trophy mug

Second Prize:

• A special mention in Writers’ Hour Magazine

• 1-month complimentary London Writers’ Salon Silver Membership

Third Prize:

• A special mention in Writers’ Hour Magazine

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FAQs:

• What genres can I write in?
  All genres - fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc - are welcome.

• What if my piece is 101 words? Or 99 words?
  Your piece must be exactly 100 words (excluding title). Pieces that exceed or fall short of this will not be considered.

• Do I need to submit in a specific format?
  Please follow the instructions outlined in the Contest Guidelines.

• When is the deadline to submit?
  Submissions are due by Friday, September 27th, at 5pm BST / 12pm ET / 9am PT. Submissions received outside this window will not be considered.

• When will the winner be announced?
  The winner will be contacted via Submittable, and the winning entry will be published in Writers’ Hour Magazine by Saturday, October 12th.

• Can I submit a piece I’ve already published?
  Only previously unpublished pieces are eligible for this contest. (Published means anything that has already been made publicly available in print or online.)

• Is there a fee to submit?
  No, there is no fee to submit. However you must be subscribed to Writers’ Hour Magazine in order for your submission to be considered.

PS - Write with us

Come work on your submission at Writers' Hour—our daily silent writing sprints—where writers from around the world come together to work on their projects. It’s the perfect environment to focus, share space with other writers, and make progress on your contest entry.

Plus, on Monday September 23, we’re hosting a free 💯 Days of Writing Workshop to help you make the most of the final days of 2024. 👉 Register to reserve your spot.