Short Story Contest

Information and Rules 

Winners will be notified by March 31 and the winning short stories and essays will appear in the July/August issue of Bethesda Magazine. 

Submissions open on November 1 | Deadline is January 19 

Eligibility for Short Story Contest: 

Residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (Zip Codes 20015 and 20016) are eligible. The contest will take entries in two categories: High School (grades 9-12) and Adult (ages 18+). 

Awards (High School) 

First Place: $250 and published in Bethesda Magazine 
Second Place: $100
Third Place: $50
Honorable Mention: $25

Awards (Adult) 

First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine
Second Place: $250 
Third Place: $150 
Honorable Mention: $75 

All of the stories (first, second, and third place, and all honorable mentions) are published on BethesdaMagazine.com and Bethesda.org. Authors of the winning and runner up stories will be honored at a special event during the Bethesda Urban Partnership’s (or Bethesda’s) Local Writer’s Showcase.

Click here for information on the Essay Contest.