Rules for Entering the 2027 Next Generation Short Story Awards
- All stories must be in English
- All stories must be original work
- No copyrighted images, headers, text and otherwise can be used unless it is entrant’s original work
- Work must not be previously published at the time of entry
- Stories must be no longer than 5,000 words
- No stories that are sexual, political or include hate speech, offensive or vulgar language will be accepted.*
- All stories must be in double space and at the top of the first page include the name of the story, the author name, and the entrant’s email address and categories being entered
- All stories must be in PDF format and the PDF filename must be the name of your story followed by your last name in brackets. For example, if your story name is "Once Upon a Lifetime" and your last name is 'Smith' then your PDF must be named: Once Upon a Lifetime (Smith). Pen Names are allowed.
- All stories must be submitted digitally by no later than January 28, 2027
- You may enter as many categories as you like
- Payment must be made online with submission
- You must be at least 13 years of age to enter. If under the age of 13, you must get your parent or guardian or teacher to grant you permission to enter and make payment on your behalf
- All decisions of the judges are final
- Only Winners and Finalists will be notified
NOTE: Writers will retain their copyright
*The Next Generation Short Story Awards (NGSSA) via Headline Books will include a selection of Winning stories in a complimentary, digital Anthology of Winners that appeals to the general population including school age students. In this regard, NGSSA and Headline Books reserve the right to edit any winning stories for content and length.
A.I. and Plagiarism Policy
We have a strict policy regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence and plagiarism in submissions to our awards program. You can read it here.