Stone Soup holds a Flash Contest during the first week of every month. The month’s first Weekly Creativity prompt provides the contest challenge. Submissions are due by midnight on Sunday of the same week and should be under 1,500 words. Up to five winners are chosen for publication on our blog. The winners, along with up to five honorable mentions, are announced on the blog. Submit via our Submittable site.
The Weekly Creativity prompts are intended to help you “break the ice” and start writing. The prompts, all written by students, just like you. The prompts are different from each other. Each prompt makes challenges you think, to be creative. You might note a few different ways you can approach the prompt. As a rule, we advise skipping the way that seems easy or obvious. Always give some thought to the point-of-view you are taking. Who is the observer? Are you writing from the “first person” perspective, through the eyes of your character? Are you the “omniscient” narrator who sees all and knows all? If you are writing a prompt every week, then think about changing your points of view from week-to-week.
Every contest has its own winners' page, where you can read all the winning entries for the month. We are currently working on the winner's page, but we will announce this new page when we announce the October winners in the following month!
We are proud of everyone who takes part in the contest. Thank you for trusting us with your work! Good luck!
Lily says
Hi! I know that the November Flash Contest has ended, but I just wanted to ask: Do you have to write a story that matches the prompt if you submit?
Thanks!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Lily,
Yes, all submissions must follow the prompt.
Caela says
I believe they do.
Laura S Noe says
We logged on this morning to get the December writing prompt but we don’t see it yet. What time will it be posted and what time zone?
Caleb Berg says
Should be up now!
Laura Noe says
The website still says November Flash Contest is closed. Check back on December 6th. I don’t see where the current monthly contest prompt is located.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Laura,
So sorry! It is up now.
Andrea says
We have been checking as well. Still not posted at 8:30 PM ET.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Andrea,
So sorry. It is up now.
Lily says
I’m having the same problem! It’s December 7th and I still don’t see the prompt.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Lily,
So sorry! It is up now.
Caroline says
It still isn’t up-if anyone can see it, could you please post it?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Caroline,
So sorry! It is up now.
Lola O. says
Are flash fiction submissions for a fee, and, if so, how much? Also, just checking, but the next available submission date is January, right? And, since I already have a bout of questions flung around haphazardly, here is one more: If you win a flash fiction contest, can you still win the annual novel contest, or are you exempt? Thank you!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Lola,
1) The Flash Contest costs two dollars to enter. 2) Yes, January third. And 3) You are absolutely not exempt! You can also be selected as a Flash Contest winner multiple times. Hope this helps!
Ritr says
Hey! I was wondering when the January contest will be posted today.
Ritr says
Is there a certain time?
Kate says
Is the January prompt going to be up yet? Been checking since this morning.
Jaylen Hon says
I just want to know where can I see the results for the monthly flash contest? Thanks.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Jaylen,
The results for this February’s Flash Contest will be posted either Thursday night or Friday morning. The rest of the Flash Contest results for previous months are included in this page. Hope this helps!
Lea Jones says
What time of day is the monthly flash contest prompt posted? It’s 11 am eastern standard time and I don’t see anything.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Lea,
The prompt has now been posted. Apologies for the wait!
Sabriah says
Hi everyone
I just wanted to ask, when the April contest will be up,
Thank you!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Sabriah,
It is now up, apologies for the wait! In the future, even if the prompt might not yet say it is up on this page the prompt is likely to have been posted to the blog.
Sabriah says
P.S.
It is April 4th right now and I have been checking for a bit, for me, it is 11:08 eastern time and I still don’t see it.
– Thank you for your answer 🙂
Ryan says
Where is the June 6 Flash Prompt? It is June 7th and I am awaiting it.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Ryan,
The contest is now up on this page. In the future if you do not yet see the prompt listed on this page you can find it as its own post on the blog.
Han Chen says
Has the June flash contest been posted yet?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Han,
Please refer to my reply to Ryan Stern.
martha says
Hello,
I’m wondering when the June contest information will be up on your site.
Thanks,
Martha
Caleb Berg says
Hi Martha,
Please refer to my reply to Ryan Stern.
Caroline Percival says
Hello,
It’s Wednesday, August third, and the flash contest still isn’t up. I’m wondering – is something wrong on my end or has it not been posted?
Thanks,
Caroline
Wenjing Xie says
Hello,
It’s August ninth and it says to come back in September, but there was no prompt. Did I miss it or was there an issue?
Thanks,
Wenjing
Caleb Berg says
Hi Wenjing,
You did happen to miss it. The prompt was live between August 1st and 7th.
Eiaa Dev says
Hi,
When do the October Flast Contest results come out? Like who won and etcetera?
Thanks!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Eiaa,
Apologies that it took so long for them to go up this week! The winners and their work have just been published.
PK says
Hi there, when are the winners of Flash contest from November 2022 going to be announced? Thanks!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Pranoti,
Winners will be announced later today!
PK says
Thank you! Will they be announced in an email or on this webpage?
Caleb Berg says
On the webpage!
Oliver Nathan says
Is the next contest 5th 2022, because I have been looking through the comments and have seen that they we’re sent in 2021
Caleb Berg says
Yes, the next monthly flash contest starts on December 5th.
Zhiwei Mao says
Hi! When will the November Flash Contest results come out? Thanks!
Caleb Berg says
They’re up now!
Elise L. says
I don’t believe that the atlas of emotions has a list of emotions. Once I tried to click on the bubbles, there were only a couple listed. Can I use a different emotion that I have never heard of, even if it’s not listed on the atlas?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Elise,
I didn’t realize! Yes, you can absolutely use a different emotion you haven’t heard of. I’m sure you can just look up a list of emotions on other sites.
Eiaa Dev says
Hi! When will we get the results of this month’s contest?
Catherine Emery says
HI!
When will this month’s (Feb. 2023) prompt be up??
Caleb Berg says
Hi Catherine,
It is up now! Apologies for the delay.
Michael says
This is my first time submitting. Where do I submit? Can I turn in a story and poem? Thank you.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Michael,
There is a link for submitting on that page, but you can submit via this link: https://stonesoup.submittable.com/submit/173152/monthly-flash-contest
And you can only submit one work, so choose either a story or a poem. This is also specifically a flash contest, so please keep it to approximately less than 1,000 words.
Lucy Australopithecus says
Are we allowed to submit more than one submission for a prompt?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Lucy,
Just one submission per prompt.
Michael M. says
When will the February winners be posted? Thank you.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Michael,
They’re now posted.
Alia says
Hi! I wondered when the April Flash Contest prompt would be posted since it was supposed to be posted yesterday. Thanks!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Alia,
It was posted yesterday, just hadn’t yet updated this page. Are you subscribed to receive the prompts via email? If so, I can sign you up for that.
Nalini Chugani says
Hi — When are the monthly contest submissions due?
Nalini Chugani says
Hi — When are the monthly contest submissions due?
Is it possible to get them via email as well?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Nalini,
Yes, I’ll sign you up to receive the prompts via email. And submissions are always due the following Sunday after they’re posted. So the next Flash Contest will go up on Monday May 1st and all submissions will be due by 1159 PM on Sunday May 7th.
Sheri says
Can two people work together on a story and put in both their names on the Submittable site?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Sheri,
Yes, as long as both people are under the age of 14.
Jennifer Rose says
Oh how I wish you would post the prompt earlier so that my Monday classes could work on them together. Ah me.
Maria Simoni Leal says
Hi! When will the Flash Fiction be posted? Thank you 🙂
Andrew Zhu says
Hello,
For “The May Flash Contest is now open! Write an enemies-to-lovers story”, what is the deadline: midnight of Sunday, 6/4 or 6/11?
Thank you!
Caleb Berg says
Hi Andrew,
Apologies, but we just hadn’t updated the page to say that the May Flash Contest was closed. Each Flash Contest runs for one week, starting on the first Monday of the month. The next one opens June Fifth, and will close at midnight June 12.
Andrew says
Got it. Thank you!
j says
Is the flash contest still open? It says that it is but I think one week has passed already.
Caleb Berg says
Hi,
No, the flash contest closes after one week. It just hadn’t yet been updated since it has to be changed manually.
Saanvi says
Hi, I have a question. Can only subscribers join the monthly flash contest? Also it said come back August 7th, to get the next prompt, but I am not able to see it. Thank you.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Saanvi,
Anybody can submit! And yes, the prompt wasn’t up but it is now. Apologies.
Sunny says
Hi, I have a question. Can only subscribers join the monthly flash contest? Thank you.
Caleb Berg says
Hi Sunny,
Anybody can submit to the monthly flash contest!
Sunny says
Ok, thank you!
Jennifer Rose says
Looking for the August 7 prompt. Can you post it earlier for my Monday classes?
Caleb Berg says
Hi Jennifer,
Apologies that it wasn’t ready early this month. They should usually go out, at least via email, at 2 AM. It is now up.
Jennifer Rose says
Thank you so much for posting the October prompt early in the day. It makes a huge difference and allows me to work with the prompt in my Monday classes. Grateful!
Olivia McKeon says
No problem! I hope your class has fun with the prompt.
sir pithecus elliot the 35th says
Hi, do we have to use chatGPT or can we use a different ai?
Olivia McKeon says
A different AI works too!
Nikita says
For this month’s flash contest (Nov 2023), should we include the AI-generated short story along with our sequel submission?
Olivia McKeon says
You don’t have to include it. As long as you took inspiration from it for the sequel that’s what counts!
Nikita says
Ah, I see! Thank you 🙂
Mihaela Visoiu says
Hello,
Is the December flash contest deadline December 10, at midnight, please?
Thanks, Mihaela
Olivia McKeon says
Yes, December 10th at midnight!
Elaine Jinto says
Hi, this is not regarding the flash contest, but I would like to know if we can submit existing plays which we had edited and made better?
For my school project I had to do just that with a Bengali play called Rats on a Train. I edited the translated version, and made it longer and better. I would like to submit it to StoneSoup, however I need to know if that is allowed.
Olivia McKeon says
Work can be inspired by other stories, but we don’t accept edited material unfortunately.