Win Up to $1,000 in Write or Die's First Ever Fiction Contest
Plus our favorite screenwriting workshop, small press publishing seminar and writing experimental essays | Write or Die Weekly #69
Hi friends — you may notice things look a little different. I’ve combined both of our newsletters into one to avoid confusion and so you don’t miss a thing. From now on, all Write or Die updates will land right here on Substack — including new workshops, submission calls, and monthly writing inspiration.
Let’s dive into what’s happening this week…
It’s finally here! Our fiction team has been dying to run a contest and we finally got our shit together to do it!
Our guest judge, Nora Lange, author of the acclaimed novel, Us Fools, will be selecting our longlist and top three submissions.
In addition to cash prizes, you’ll also get the bragging rights to being part of our VERY FIRST CONTEST. Tell all your friends — it’s time to submit.
The Details
🖤 General Submission Window 🖤
May 1 – July 1, 2025
🏆 Prizes 🏆
1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $400
3rd Place: $200
Winning stories will be published in Write or Die Magazine.
💸Submission Fee 💸
$18 per entry
We also have an option that includes a contest entry, plus detailed margin notes from our fiction editors. Trust me, they are brilliant.
💗 Guest Judge 💗
Nora Lange
👀 What She is Looking For 👀
Shock yourself. Take a risk. Loosen the reins of plot. Let the idea in your story shine. Get lost and call it found.
📞 Winners Announced 📞
September 2025
Our Favorite Screenwriting workshop is back! (and with only a few seats left!)
Sundays, May 18 — June 15 | 3–5 PM EST | $380
Revisit your high school self—zits, heartbreak, shame and all—and transform that raw nostalgia into an original, unforgettable teen TV or film concept. This 5-week screenwriting course offers a safe, cathartic space to create bold characters, push genre boundaries, and walk away with starter scenes, 1:1 support, and the confidence to keep writing.
Now Enrolling for May
Experimental Essay Forms: All Prompts, ALL THE TIME
with Kristine Langley Mahler | Monday, May 5 | 8 - 10 PM (EST)
You need a class so you can tell your partner or your kids “Sorry, I have a class rn” but really, you just need the focused time to write? This is the class for you. Two hours. Eight prompts. Four mini craft-talks on experimental essay forms.
Small Press Publishing with a Debut Seminar Part 2: Production, Promotion, Post-Publication, and Beyond!
with Emily Jon Tobias | Saturday, May 10 | 1–2:30 PM (EST)
You signed the contract—now what? In this 90-minute seminar, we’ll demystify the post-deal process: production timelines, blurbs, marketing, book tours, websites, and the sneaky stuff nobody tells you. Emily draws from her own debut experience to give you the tools, insight, and support you’ll actually use—because publishing a book is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Grassroots Strategies for a Killer Book Tour
with Tucker Leighty-Phillips | Tuesday, May 20 | 8–9:30 PM (EST)
Your book deserves a tour—even if you’re not a bestseller (yet). In this 90-minute session, author and former music industry booker Tucker Leighty-Phillips shares DIY strategies to build a tour from the ground up: how to route dates, find venues, tap into local scenes, and actually get people to show up. Forget waiting on bookstore replies—let’s take your book on the road, your way.
From Book Crush to Book Review
with Diana Arterian | Saturday, May 24 | 2–4 PM (EST)
You love books—now let’s get you published talking about them. In this two-hour seminar, poet and critic Diana Arterian walks you through the how-to of literary criticism: what makes a strong review, how to make it personal without rambling, and where to pitch once it’s done. Come with a book you adore and leave with a review-in-progress and the tools to shout your love from the bylines.
Spend the Summer with Haley or Kailey!
The Wild Draft: A 6-Month Novel-Writing Cohort with
Starts June 4 | Limited spots
Craving structure, momentum, and a community to help you actually finish your novel? This high-touch, six-month experience is for writers ready to commit to the mess and magic of a first draft—with craft lessons, feedback, and real accountability.
Speculative Nonfiction: A 6-Week Advanced Workshop with Haley Swanson
Starts July 9 | Applications now open
What if you could reimagine your past on the page? This workshop dives into the craft of speculative nonfiction—where memory meets possibility. For writers with prior workshop experience ready to ask “what if” and go deeper in their essays.
Thank you for running the contest.
I saw that all entries will be considered for publication even if they don't win a prize.
If a non-winning story is selected for publication, will the author receive financial compensation?
Are you accepting novel excerpts if they can be read as short stories?