Desperate Literature

THE 2025 SHORTLIST:

"Generous, soulful distillations. A tasting flight of prosaic kerosene. Each story ignited a flare in a forsaken corner of my mind. I can’t wait to experience more from these voices."
—Henry Hoke, judge

Get the pdf or pre-order the book: desperateliterature.com/product/elev...

Ottessa Moshfegh said of the winning story: a "tender and haunting" story exploring "themes of isolation, vulnerability, and connection across literal and figurative borders."

Akella was a recipient of a sponsored entry to the prize and his tale of queer love and ghosts won our hearts.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS of the 2025 Short Fiction Prize

Shastri Akella takes the winning spot with ‘The Border Country,' a ‘tender and haunting’ story of queer love on the Kashmir border.

Runners-up are Swithun Cooper and Alisha Dietzman.

THE LAST DAY TO ENTER!

Prizes: €2000 & 1000€, residencies
at Civitella Ranieri and (NEW) at DL in Madrid, a manuscript assessment w/ @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social, publication, salons, and more...

desperateliterature.com/prize

@minorlits.bsky.social recently ran an interview with our judge Henry Hoke: tinyurl.com/5dck3a6n

"What is urgent to the writer? That’s really exciting to me in judging. I’m a small plates person. I like a little concentrated bite of something."

Submit your work: desperateliterature.com/prize

Gods of Fathers — Preeti Vangani On the eve of India flying to the moon, Sameer Bhai is awoken by noises in the lower berth of the train heading from Mumbai to his home, Meerut. He prays to the god of moonlight infiltrating throug…

Read 2024 shortlister Preeti Vangani's @preetivangani.bsky.social's story 'Gods of Fathers' :
minorliteratures.com/2024/11/06/g...

Other shortlisters in @minorlits.bsky.social include Andrea Mason @andreamason.bsky.social, Stephen Lynch, and Young Rader.

🔥Partner Journal Shoutout🔥

Presenting Minor Literature(s)
@minorlits.bsky.social, an online journal specializing in experimental prose.

Surprising, bold, cutting-edge, vital...

For a chance to have your work published by this literary great, submit today:
desperateliterature.com/prize

Last year's runner-up Amanda Hildebrandt had her story 'No Safe Place' published by the journal. In 2021, Phillippa Finkemeyer's 'Cables' got selected. Read these and other stories from the prize with our partner journals!

desperateliterature.com/previous-win...

Submit your own stories now!

⚡Partner Journal Shoutout⚡
Kill Your Darlings

Next up is Australian mag @kydmagazine.bsky.social! They're so much more than a lit journal. They have a whole spectrum of editorial services, classes, and content meant to help writers reach their full potential.

desperateliterature.com/prize

ONLY THREE DAYS LEFT

Polish those stories!

www.desperateliterature.com/prize

You can read many previously shortlisted stories for free on our website, and you can also buy the books!

The Eleven Stories anthologies 2018-2024 are available in pdf or print form.

Buying a copy gets you a discount on your 2025 entry 😉

desperateliterature.com/product/sext...

Hear what 2024 winner Sukie Wilson and runner-up
@richiejones.bsky.social have to say about the Prize...

desperateliterature.com/prize

Shortlisters have the chance to be published in one of our partner journals.

This year, we are working with @minorlits.bsky.social, @gorsejournal.bsky.social, Kill Your Darlings, Helter Skelter, Protoype, @thelondonmagazine.bsky.social & Tenement Press.

desperateliterature.com/prize

The 2025 Prize is judged by Mariana Enríquez, Henry Hoke (@henryhoke.bsky.social), and Ottessa Moshfegh.

For a chance to get your work in front of their eyes, enter at desperateliterature.com/prize

OTHER PRIZES
✅10-day residency at Desperate Literature
✅Invitation to the European Writers Salon, Brussels (@saloneurope.bsky.social)
✅1-yr access to @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social

"Being a Writer" platform

desperateliterature.com/prize

RUNNERS-UP:
✅1000€
✅Pub. in Eleven Stories + one of 7 partner journals
✅Fame&Glory
✅Meeting with agent @teddyfromtheblock.bsky.social
(Johnson & Alcock)

desperateliterature.com/prize

WINNER
✅2000€
✅A week at the magnificent Civitella Ranieri residency
✅Manuscript assessment with @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social and meeting with agent @teddyfromtheblock.bsky.social
(Johnson & Alcock)
✅Pub. in Eleven Stories + one of 7 partner journals

desperateliterature.com/prize

ONE WEEK LEFT TO ENTER!

Prizes: €2000 & 1000€, residencies
Civitella Ranieri and (NEW) at DL in Madrid, manuscript assessment w/ @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social, publication, salons, and more...

desperateliterature.com/prize

You can read our winners' stories online with Tenement Press and others on our page and theirs.

For a chance to get your work published, submit until April 30! Judged this year by Ottessa Moshfegh, @henryhoke.bsky.social , and Mariana Enriquez.

desperateliterature.com/prize

In 2024, they ran @stricklandwrites.bsky.social 's
story 'The Mothers'.

tenementpress.com/The-Mothers

They've published @jaygao.bsky.social , Siri Katinka Valdez, Isha Karki, @katiescribbles.bsky.social , Angela Finn, Lorenzo Mandelli, Shola Von Reinhold & Jacob Spears.

🔥Partner Journal Shoutout🔥
Tenement Press

Next up in our lineup of literary magazine partnerships is Tenement, an occasional publisher of esoteric, accidental, angular & interdisciplinary literatures.

Learn about the prize and submit your stories at:
desperateliterature.com/prize

⭐Partner Journal Shoutout⭐
@gorsejournal.bsky.social is a stunning, original Dublin-based journal featuring essay, fiction, poetry & interviews.

gorse has published 2019 & 2022 shortlisters Joshua Riedel & Jona Xhepa @quetzalfiach.bsky.social

2025 Prize info at desperateliterature.com/prize

Being shortlisted with us means a chance to be published in one of our partner journals. Previously or forthcoming in
@prototypepubs.bsky.social: Grace Henes, Aled Turner, Mira Mattar, Campbell Anderson, Connor Oswald, and Shane Tivenan.

open til April 30!
desperateliterature.com/prize

Partner Journal 3:
@prototypepubs.bsky.social is a publisher of fiction, poetry, anthologies, and interdisciplinary projects. They are committed to championing the work of new voices in free-form contemporary literature.

For a chance to feature, submit now:
desperateliterature.com/prize

The Prize would not be possible without our sponsors:
@degrootfoundation.bsky.social @saloneurope.bsky.social @spread-the-word.bsky.social @tlcuk.bsky.social @prototypepubs.bsky.social @thelondonmagazine.bsky.social @minorlits.bsky.social @kydmagazine.bsky.social +++

desperateliterature.com/prize

See what Sukie Wilson, author of 'Leaving Night Country' and @richiejones.bsky.social, author of 'Nuggy Spins the Lemons,' have to say about the Prize.

You can read both of their winning stories in @thelondonmagazine.bsky.social !

Submit your stories now: desperateliterature.com/prize

Two runners-up will get 1000€, in addition to being published in our lovely book Eleven Stories and with our partner journals.

#writingcommunity
#amwriting
#writingcompetition
#shortstory

WINNER gets 2000€, a residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, manuscript consultation with agent Ed Wilson @teddyfromtheblock.bsky.social and @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social, and publication with us and our partner journals!

Don't miss out: desperateliterature.com/prize

⚡️EXTENDED DEADLINE⚡️for the 2025 Desperate Literature Prize for Short Fiction

You now have until April 30 to send us your stories!

desperateliterature/com/prize

Previous shortlisters to be featured in Helter Skelter
include Mariana Roa Oliva, Catherine Bisley, and @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social.

For the chance to be published in our own anthology, Eleven Stories, and one of our 7 partner journals, send us your short stories at desperateliterature.com/prize