We invite writers to submit to the What the Wild Carries Prize from August 01 to October 05, 2025.
For this contest, we want stories or excerpts of instinct, presence, and the creatures that change us. Drop us into those human and creature relationships that make us feel something new or old or leave us twisting to understand. At the heart of your story, we want to see humans and animals interacting in interesting ways. Consider crafting your story around the most pivotal moments between your main character and an essential animal or creature, and fully immerse us in these moments. Consider how animals and creatures help us see the humanity in all of us! We especially love stories that incorporate elements from multiple genres, so consider how combining these aspects might enhance your story. We’re drawn to stories that use their conflicts to create tension and resonance.
This award is for all of our genres: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller/Mystery (Horror), Young Adult, and Humor.
Guest Judge Shelby Van Pelt 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.
When Shelby Van Pelt isn’t writing, she’s herding cats and wrangling children. Her debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES (Ecco, 2022), was an Instant New York Times Bestseller and a Read With Jenna Today Show book club pick. In 2023, she was awarded the Heartland Prize for Fiction and the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize from The Writer’s Center. Remarkably Bright Creatures has sold over two million copies. It has spent, in aggregate, over a year on the NYT Hardcover Bestseller list. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she’s now missing the mountains in the Chicago area with her family.
Submission tips from Guest Judge Shelby Van Pelt:
I love stories that explore how our connections with animals can be unexpected, absurd, silly, and perhaps a bit terrifying, but always with curiousity at their core. Using our relationship to nature to reflect upon our human-ness is a tradition as old as storytelling itself, but with the breadth creatures and critters on our planet, fresh possibilities are boundless. My favorite stories land an emotional punch without taking themselves too seriously; even within the heaviest subject matter, I enjoy a whiff of levity. Don’t be afraid to have fun with these stories, embrace the weird, and remember that humans are animals, too.
GUIDELINES
- The deadline for entry is October 05, 2025. We will announce the shortlist within 12–14 weeks of the contest’s close. All writers will be notified when the results are in.
- Your $20 reading fee allows ONE short story or novel excerpt of 1,001–5,000 words per entry.
- We encourage multiple submissions—each story should be a separate submission accompanied by a reading fee.
- Writers from historically marginalized groups will be able to submit for free until we reach our cap of 25 free submissions. No additional fee waivers will be granted.
- Please submit short stories or novel excerpts—5,000 word count maximum.
- We only consider unpublished work for contests—we do not review reprints, including self-published work (even on blogs and social media). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.
- Simultaneous submissions are okay—please notify us immediately and withdraw your entry if you find another home for your writing.
- All entries will also be considered for publication in Uncharted.
- Double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12 (or larger if needed).
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
- Please include a content warning to help safeguard our staff (if applicable).
- We only read work in English, though some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.
- We do not read anonymous submissions. However, shortlisted stories are sent anonymously to the judge.
- Work generated by AI will be automatically disqualified.
Some Submittable Hot Tips:
- Please be sure to whitelist/add to contacts this email address so notifications do not get filtered as spam/junk: notifications@email.submittable.com.
- If you realize you sent the wrong version of your piece: It happens. Please DO NOT withdraw the piece and resubmit. Submittable collects a nonrefundable fee each time. Please DO message us from within the submission to request that we open the entry for editing, which will allow you to fix everything from typos in your cover letter to uploading a new draft. The only time we will not allow a change is if the piece is already under review by a reader.
OPTIONAL FEEDBACK ON YOUR WRITING
You may choose to receive editorial feedback on your piece. We will provide two-page global letters discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. Our aim is to make our comments actionable and encouraging. These letters are written by editors and staff readers of Uncharted. A significant portion of the editorial letter fees goes to our feedback editor. Should your story win, no feedback will be offered, and your fee will be refunded.