By Chance Books Short Story Contest
By entering the By Chance Books Short Story Contest (the “Contest”), you agree to the following Terms & Conditions:
1. Eligibility
The Contest is open to writers worldwide. Submissions must be written in English.
There is no minimum age requirement; however, entrants under the age of 18 must have permission from a parent, guardian, or teacher, who must also complete the submission payment on their behalf.
2. Submission Guidelines
- No previous writing experience is required.
- Submissions must be between 1,000 and 5,000 words.
- We can accept submissions as .docx and .pdf files only.
- Entries may be fiction or nonfiction, in any genre.
- All submissions must be based on the theme: “the inexplicable”
- Work may explore the full emotional and narrative range of the inexplicable—frightening, mysterious, thought-provoking, humorous, or even hopeful—but should meaningfully engage with how the unexplained shapes, disrupts, or transforms events or lives.
- Submissions must be unpublished at the time of entry.
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but we ask that entrants notify us if their work is accepted elsewhere.
- Authors may submit multiple entries.
3. Entry Fees
- $25 for the first submission
- $15 for each additional submission
- Payment must be made with online submission. Payment is done directly through Zealous and must be done via PayPal or credit card.
All fees are non-refundable.
4. Submission Period
- Deadline for entries: October 31, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (US)
- Winners announced: December 1, 2026
5. Judging
All entries will be reviewed and judged by the By Chance Books editorial team.
There is only one round of judging.
Judging will be based on adherence to the theme, originality, quality of writing, and overall impact.
All decisions are final.
6. Prizes and Feedback
There is no monetary prize.
Selected works will be published in a By Chance Books anthology, available in both paperback and digital formats.
All entrants will receive constructive editorial feedback on their submissions.
7. Rights & Publication
Authors retain full copyright to their work.
By entering the Contest, authors grant By Chance Books a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to publish selected works in the anthology, in both print and digital formats.
No royalties will be paid for inclusion in the anthology.
Selection for publication does not constitute a broader publishing agreement between the author and By Chance Books.
8. Editing
Selected works will be professionally edited. By Chance Books reserves the right to make reasonable edits for clarity, length, and content, in consultation with the author where appropriate.
9. Withdrawal & Refunds
Once submitted, entries may not be formally withdrawn.
However, entrants may request that their work be removed from consideration by contacting us via the website. In such cases, the submission will no longer be eligible for the Contest.
Submission fees are non-refundable.
10. Originality & AI Policy
All submissions must be the original work of the entrant.
The use of AI-generated or AI-assisted content is not permitted. Entries found to include such material will be disqualified.
Plagiarism or any form of misrepresentation will result in immediate disqualification.
11. Disqualification
By Chance Books reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these Terms & Conditions or that violates the spirit of the Contest.
No stories that include hate speech of any kind will be accepted.
*** This rule is intended to exclude work by authors who are expressing, promoting, or encouraging hatred or hostility toward a person or group based on their race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected traits. We understand that depiction is not endorsement and that context matters. For instance, a slur used within the story to reveal a character’s bigotry is very different from the author promoting those views.***
We ask all entrants to engage with integrity and respect. Any communication with our team should
remain courteous and professional. Failure to do so can result in disqualification.
12. Indemnity
By entering the contest, you confirm that your submission is your original work and agree to indemnify and hold harmless By Chance Books against any claims arising from its publication. This includes agreeing to the Zealous Privacy Policy.