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Fall Into Fiction

Fall Into Fiction: September 1 - 30, 2025

Fall is here again! To celebrate, San José Public Library is hosting a short story contest.

How to Enter

Complete the online submission form for Fall into Fiction 2025 by September 30 

OR

Submit your story in person at a San José Public Library location, opens a new window between September 1-30 

Guidelines

  • Who Can Enter: Amateur writers only. All ages.
  • Style: Any writing style.
  • Unpublished: No previous print or online publication, including blogs.
  • Length Limit: 8,000 characters max, spaces and punctuation included.
  • Audience: Must be for general audiences. No explicit or mature content.
  • One Entry: One submission per person.
  • Proofread: Check for spelling or grammar errors.
Please review our full list of Submission Guidelines for more details.

Age Categories and Prizes

  • Children (0–9): Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
  • Pre-Teens (10–12): Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
  • Teens (13–17): Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
  • Adults (18+): Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Judges may award an honorable mention prize in each age category. Prizes include a bundle of goodies to keep the creativity, words, and fun flowing.

All winners and other selected works will be published on SJPL Short Édition online platform and in the Short Édition Dispensers at select locations. 

Judging

Library staff oversee the judging process. To understand what the judges will be looking for, you can view the detailed judging rubric. Winners will be announced in November. 

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Fall Into Fiction Contest, email us at shortstories@sjlibrary.org.

Get Help from Library Experts

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