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Ben Nyberg Short Fiction Collection Contest

A project of Choeofpleirn Press (see other related projects).

We list other projects with similar titles. Please check that you report any submissions under the correct listing.

About

This contest is named after fiction writer and creative writing professor, Ben Nyberg, who was a great influence on the writings of both CP editors, Ruth J. Heflin and James P. Cooper, who took his creative writing workshops at Kansas State University.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions.
The fee is USD $30 (above average for contests).
Limited Demographic: Submissions are restricted to writers who have not yet published a full length book of short fiction.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2026

Publication Media & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Awarded 1 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication
Awarded 1 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Fiction Open Fee-based

There is no theme or restriction on the type of fiction that can be submitted, but the final judge for this contest prefers works that evoke images and feelings for places and people. The works should be the best literary quality of writing each writer is capable of, transporting readers to that place, so that they feel as though they know the people they meet and can understand what they are experiencing. In short, the works should illustrate humanity (even if those people are animals or aliens) as realistically as possible, without being morbid. Violence described in loving detail by the writer will be dismissed because we are looking for the humanity in the characters, not their vile proclivities, whatever they may be.

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 31 December 2026* (approx. 107 days from now).

2

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Fiction Collection: More than 60,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Token advance (under US$200) + Unknown royalties Provides free copy/copies Token advance. Unknown royalties. Provides free copy/copies. Details: USD $500 prize.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

Ben Nyberg Short Fiction Collection Contest Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

This section is available to subscribers only. Join today!

Ben Nyberg Fiction Contest CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
The Choeofpleirn Press Jonathan Holden Poetry Chapbook Contest CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions
Choeofpleirn Press Poetry Book Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
Coneflower Cafe ON HIATUS
Glacial Hills Review ON HIATUS
Phil Heldrich Nonfiction Contest ON HIATUS  Charges fees for all submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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