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Steal the Spotlight Micro Fiction Contest

A project of Apex Magazine (see other related projects).

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions. We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Halloween is coming and with it the vampire, zombie, witch, and ghost stories will creep into your hands and whisper “Boo” in your ear. Now I love a good ghost story. Witches are wicked. Zombies give me the chills. And vampires are grand. But… But there’s more out there. Monsters waiting in the wings to give you a fright. And they want their moment to shine! I went to Twitter to ask you, the Apex readers, what monsters you’d like to see steal the spotlight, and did you ever have suggestions. Everything from wendigos to banshees to Jekyll and Hyde. So tell me a story. After the huge success of our Christmas micro fiction contest last year (over 500 submissions!), we’ve decided to do it again. This time with the monsters that are often forgotten. The ones who’s stories don’t get told. There will be five categories: sea monsters, black dog/Hellhounds, banshees, science experiments gone wrong, and demons (this can include wendigos, succubus, be creative).

No Fees! This contest does not charge mandatory fees.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication
One-time contest

Fiction Closed

Audience:

Unknown

Genres:

Horror Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Creature Horror, Science Fiction Horror, Supernatural

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 250 words; Up to 5 pieces.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

None found.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than prize specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

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

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for Apex Magazine

Go to contest webpage

Report:
Correction/Update

Support this Publisher:
Buy Book(s)
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Steal the Spotlight Micro Fiction 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.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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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: 22 May 2026

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