📌 About the Event

The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction (July 2026 Edition) is a fast-paced, high-stakes international writing sprint that challenges creators to engineer compelling narrative arcs under intense creative limits.

Rather than standard thematic cues, this competition forces writers to adapt to a unique multi-prompt framework: two standard writing prompts paired with one strict “anti-prompt” (a specific cliché, trope, or word that writers are explicitly forbidden from using). The event is designed to test structural discipline, vocabulary flexibility, and quick drafting skills.

---

📅 Critical Timelines & Time-Zone Constraints

The entire competition is executed over a strict 60-hour hyper-sprint window:

• Kick-off & Prompt Reveal: Friday, July 24, 2026
• Submission Final Deadline: Sunday, July 26, 2026
• Operational Hub: 100% Online. Prompts are blasted via email exactly at midday, and entries must be uploaded through the official portal before the midnight clock expiration.

---

📏 High-Stakes Writing Guidelines

• Word Count Bound: Maximum of 500 words (strictly enforced; absolutely no buffer overages).
• Demographic Scope: Open globally to writers of all experience levels, from beginners to widely published authors.
• Prompt Integration: Submissions must explicitly align with the two positive prompts while rigorously avoiding the restrictions mandated by the designated anti-prompt.

---

🏆 Prize Pool & Media Syndication Contracts

The event features a total prize allocation of AU$4,000 per competitive round, balancing absolute top placement with wildcard acknowledgments:

• 1st Place: AU$1,500 cash, a publishing contract, and the physical Not Quite Write Trophy.
• 2nd Place: AU$1,000 cash grant.
• 3rd Place: AU$500 cash grant.
• 4th, 5th, & 6th Places: AU$350, AU$250, and AU$200 respectively.
• Wildcard Selections (2 Winners): AU$100 each for highly unique or distinct narrative styles.
• Media Amplification: The Top 6 stories will be read aloud on the official Not Quite Write podcast, displayed on their primary website, and published in the printed and e-book editions of the official