Our biennial fiction and short-short contests will open February 15, 2024, and close April 15, 2024.
Waasnode fiction prize
Send us your best fiction up to 10,000 words. We're open in terms of content and form. The contest fee is $15.00 per essay and submissions will close April 15, 2024.
Judge: María Alejandra Barrios
María Alejandra Barrios is a writer and educator from Barranquilla, Colombia. Her novel THE WAVES TAKE YOU HOME is forthcoming from Lake Union Publishing, Spring 2024. Learn more about Maria on her website: https://mariaalejandrabarriosvelez.com/, and follow her on twitter and on instagram.
Neutrino short-short PRIZE
Send us your best short-shorts (1000 words maximum). We open to any genre: stories, nonfiction, prose poems, hybrids, etc. Submit up to 3 short-shorts in a single document. The contest fee is $15.00 per entry and submissions will close April 15, 2024.
Guest judge: Stephen Fishbach
Stephen Fishbach is a Pushcart-winning writer, reader, parent, podcaster, and Survivor legend. Learn more about Stephen at his website: https://stephenfishbach.com/ and follow him on twitter or on instagram.
Info for Both Contests
The winner in each category receives a $1000 prize and publication in the print issue of Passages North. $15 entry fee. All paid entrants receive a copy of the contest issue. Deadline: April 15, 2024. (We will open to free submissions for writers in need closer to the deadline.)
Submissions must be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please let us know if the piece is accepted elsewhere (refunds are not available). Students of Northern Michigan University and close friends of the Passages North staff or contest judge are not eligible.
To submit a hard copy, send paper manuscripts to Passages North, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Ave., Marquette, MI 49855. Please indicate the contest name on the envelope, and make checks payable to “Northern Michigan University.”
Contact passages@nmu.edu with any questions.
Our Contest Schedule
During odd-numbered years, we hold our poetry and creative nonfiction contests, and during even-numbered years, we hold our fiction and short-short prose contests. Contests open February 15 and close April 15 each year.