Islands Short Fiction Review

Submissions are now closed!

Islands Short Fiction Review 2025

“You can make anything by writing.”

C.S. Lewis

The Nanaimo Arts Council is pleased to invite original short fiction stories of up to 2,000 words for the Islands Short Fiction Review. We invite writers of all ages– Junior (under 12s), Youth (13-18), and Adult (19 and above). The competition for adults is for emerging writers with limited publication experience. The arts council will accept one entry from those in the Junior and Youth categories; admission is free. Adult fees are $35 per entry ($10 for NAC members) with no limits on the number of submissions. Check out the full guidelines here.

Winners will share $2,000 in awards (cash and gift certificates) in each category. Every Junior and Youth participant will receive a Certificate of Achievement for completing their story.

Award Levels

Junior Authors
First prize: $75 cash & $75 gift certificate
Second prize: $50 cash & $50 gift certificate
Third prize: $25 cash & $25 gift certificate
All Junior Entries: Certificate of Achievement

Youth Authors
First prize: $125 cash & $75 gift certificate
Second prize: $100 cash & $50 gift certificate
Third prize: $75 cash & $25 gift certificate
All Youth Entries: Certificate of Achievement

Adult Authors
First prize: $650 cash
Second: $350 cash
Third: $250 cash

The Arts Council will publish the winning submissions, subject to their author’s permission, on the Islands Short Fiction Review website.

Nanaimo Arts Council acknowledges with gratitude and respect that we are on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Stz’uminus First Nations.
Haych qa Siem.

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