The Shallows Prize 2026

The theme

Shallow water. Take it literally, take it sideways, take it as an insult and write the rebuttal. We want fiction under 1,000 words that does what shallow water does: looks simple, shows you the bottom, and is somehow still moving.

What we’re looking for

Stories with a working heart. We have no genre allergies — literary, speculative, quiet horror, anything — but we publish fiction, not vignettes, so something should be different at the end than it was at the beginning, even if it’s only the reader.

The rules

1. Under 1,000 words, title not included.
2. One entry per writer. Make it the right one.
3. Unpublished work only, including self-published and posted-online work.
4. Simultaneous submissions are fine — just withdraw promptly if it lands elsewhere.
5. No entry fee. We’re a zine, not a toll booth.
6. Entries are read anonymously: keep your name off the manuscript itself.

How winners are chosen

The editorial circle reads everything blind and passes a shortlist of ten to the judge. The winner and two runners-up are announced on October 15, 2026. Runners-up receive publication and a print subscription. All rights revert to authors on publication, as always.

How to enter

Use the entry form below. You’ll get a confirmation by email; if you don’t, something has gone wrong and you should write to us.