Contests 💵 $1,000

Reginald Gibbons Editor’s Prize for Short Fiction 2026

TriQuarterly

📅 31 Mar 2026 🌐 Online 🏷️ Paid
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📌 About the Event ?

The Reginald Gibbons Editor’s Prize is a global search for prose that demonstrates exceptional craft, emotional depth, and structural innovation. This is not a genre specific contest; it welcomes everything from traditional realism to experimental narratives and even excerpts from larger, unpublished works.The Reginald Gibbons Editor’s Prize for Short Fiction awards $1,000 to an author for outstanding contribution to the short fiction form. The winner will be published in a future issue of TriQuarterly. This is a general short fiction contest, so all genres and forms of short fiction are welcome, including excerpts of larger works. Work must be original and unpublished. All entries are considered for regular publication, and TriQuarterly pays honoraria for published work.

ℹ️ Event Details

  • Category: Arts and Culture / Language and Humanities / Academic
  • Organizer: TriQuarterly (Northwestern University)
  • 2026 Judge: Juan Martinez (Author of Extended Stay and Best Worst American)
  • Eligibility: Open to all writers globally (except current/recent Northwestern MA/MFA students and faculty)
  • Effort Level: High (Requires a polished, unpublished short story)
  • Submission Type: Online via Submittable (Up to 5,000 words)

📅 Important Dates

  • Registration Deadline: March 31, 2026
  • Submission Window: Opened January 1, 2026
  • Results or Winners Announced: Late 2026 (via the TriQuarterly website)
  • Mode: Online (Submissions only)
  • Venue: Virtual (Administered from Evanston, Illinois)

🏆 Highlights and Prize Details

  • Prize Pool: $1,000 Cash and Professional Publication
  • Top Event Prize: $1,000 honorarium for the winning story.
  • Publication: The winning piece will be published in a future issue of TriQuarterly.

🎯 What You Will Do

  • Polish your manuscript: Ensure your story is double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, and strictly under 5,000 words.
  • Blind Review Preparation: While the contest isn’t explicitly “blind,” following standard professional manuscript formatting is highly recommended.
  • Submit via Submittable: Upload your file and pay the $12 entry fee.
  • Simultaneous Submissions: You are encouraged to submit elsewhere, but you must withdraw your work immediately if it is accepted by another journal before the results are out.

📦 How to Register

  • Create an account: Sign up on the TriQuarterly Submittable platform.
  • Upload Document: Provide your story in .doc, .docx, or PDF format.
  • Fee Payment: Pay the $12 reading fee (used to cover software and administrative costs).
  • Track Status: Check your submission status anytime by logging into your account.