About the Competition
The Hemingway Contest celebrates American literary icon and author, Ernest Hemingway.
Hemingway allegedly penned a powerfully sad 6-word story:
"For Sale: baby shoes, never worn" which illustrates the allure of brevity, precise punctuation, and creativity. ​
Now, we encourage you to challenge yourself with writing the next great 6-word story. Entrants from around the world submit their best work every year, so join us, and test yourself to write with purpose.​
Awards &
Recognition
1. All submissions received by the quarterly deadline will be reviewed by an international panel of readers.
2. Submissions are graded on a standard rubric containing five considerations: storytelling, word-choice, subject matter, poignancy, and pathos.
3. The Hemingway Contest welcomes submissions from around the world. Entrants are graded as objectively as possible, with the only information considered by the judging panel being their six-word submission.
4. Awards are based on the cumulative average mark across ten independent readers; prizes are conferred according to final ranking.
5. Each quarter, top-scoring submissions are recognized by a Gold Award (1x), Silver Award (2x), Bronze Award (3x) as well as Honorable Mention and Special Commendation prizes.
6. Individuals are permitted to submit only one submission per quarter. Participants can enter into multiple contests each year (4 maximum)
7. All Award notifications will be sent directly to participants by email within 21 days of the contest deadline close.
Submission Guidelines
1. All 6-word story submissions must be written in English language, however, borrowed words, proper nouns, and well-known expressions are allowed. Hyphenated words and contractions will be counted as one word.
2. The use of effective or creative punctuation is permitted. Be mindful that your punctuation should accentuate the messaging or interpretation of your story.
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3. The Hemingway Contest celebrates the boldness and writing style of the competition's namesake, Ernest Hemingway. All themes are welcome.
Note: Entrants will NOT be penalized for political, mature, religious, or personal expression. However, vulgarity, violent, racist, or misanthropic submissions will be disqualified. Stories should resonate with your audience, and we encourage you to write a submission that would be appropriate for a wide range of readers.
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4. Story must contain six words only. This is an exercise of brevity, word choice, and precision. If you submit more than six words, only the first six words will be considered by the judges.
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Eligibility Requirements:
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1. Students must be at least 13 years of age at time of submission.
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2. Plagiarism is not accepted; submissions must be the entrant's original work.
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3. Registration & Payment must be completed before the posted deadline to be considered for Awards
Submission
Deadlines:
Fall Contest: September 30th at 11:59 PM (UTC)
Winter Contest: December 31st at 11:59 PM (UTC)
Spring Contest: March 31st at 11:59 PM (UTC)
Summer Contest: June 30th at 11:59 PM (UTC)