Horror Challenge
October 01 to October 11, 2026
It’s time for our horror writers to send us something that has us checking our back seats, under our beds, and in our closets. We’re seeking stories that center around the frightening, creepy, and horrific. And to make things extra spooky, we’re only giving you ten days to submit! For this challenge, we’re pleased to offer the grand-prize winner $500 and publication. All entries will be considered for general publication at our regular rate of $200.
2026 Feedback Frenzy
September 1 to October 31, 2026
At Uncharted, we want to help you achieve your publishing goals, and one way we can do that is to offer intuitive and precise feedback on your short story or novel excerpt. We’ve got talented, experienced guest editors, and you’ve got an almost-ready project, so let’s work together to get your piece submission-ready!
We’re speeding up the process and will get feedback to you within 4-6 weeks of your submission. And you can use your revision suggestions to hone your craft and fix up your piece in order to submit it to our always open, always free genre categories or even one of our contests!
Novel Excerpt Prize
October 15 to December 13, 2026
We’re looking for the best 5,000 words or fewer from your novel in progress! We love to read opening chapters, climaxes, and anything in-between. A guest judge will choose three prize winners from a shortlist. The three cowinners of this prize will each receive $1,000 and publication. All entries will be considered for publication. Judge Elizabeth Shipton.
Cinematic Short Story Contest
January 04 to March 07, 2027
For this short story contest, we want to read your most cinematic stories! We want stories we can clearly visualize, that make us feel as if we’re there in the moment, and that engage all our senses. A Guest Judge TBA will choose three winning stories from our shortlist. We’re excited to offer the first-place winner of this contest $2,000 and publication, while the second- and third-place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively.
World Building Challenge
March 08 to March 21, 2027
We’re excited to try a new world-building challenge. All of our genres engage in setting the stage of the story, taking readers to new and exhilarating or scary places, and we want to give you the room to build your most engaging worlds for us! You’ll get 1,500 words; make it a vignette or a story, but keep us from escaping the world you’ve crafted! For this challenge, we’re pleased to offer the grand-prize winner $500 and publication. All entries will be considered for general publication at our regular rate of $200.