A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest

The 2022 contest is closed.

Read the General Contest Rules first.

A Midsummer Tale is open April 1 – June 21 annually.

AMT is a summer-themed narrative writing contest open to non-genre¹ fiction and creative nonfiction.

The theme of the 2022 A Midsummer Tale writing contest is: The End. This year your challenge is to write about a personal ending that ties into a concurrent cataclysmic event and together feel like the end of the world for your protagonist.

Your story must be set during the hot summer months and the theme must play an integral role in the story.

Identify your story as fiction or creative nonfiction. For CNF entries, please indicate whether names have been changed.

Length: 1,000 words minimum; 5,000 words maximum.

Deadline for entries: 11:59 PM Pacific Time June 21, 2022.

Send entries to amtcontest22@toasted-cheese.com with the subject line: A Midsummer Tale Contest Entry

Entries are blind-judged by Beaver. Decisions are final. Winners are announced July 31.

Winning stories are published in the September issue of Toasted Cheese.

• If 50 or fewer eligible entries are received, first place receives a $35 Amazon gift card & second a $10 Amazon gift card.
• If 51 or more eligible entries are received, first place receives a $50 Amazon gift card, second a $15 Amazon gift card & third a $10 Amazon gift card.

Questions? Ask on the contest announcement post or on Twitter @toasted_cheese.

¹“Non-genre fiction” means literary or mainstream fiction. No science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, thriller, romance, western or other genre fiction, please.

Past AMT Themes:

• 2021: Coming of Age
• 2020: Quarantine
• 2019: Secrets
• 2018: Thunderstorms
• 2017: Summer Love
• 2016: Summer Job
• 2015: Summer Home / Home for the Summer
• 2014: Song of the Summer
• 2013: Retreat / Encounter
• 2012: Snail Mail
• 2011: Water Fire Earth Air
• 2010: Make Believe
• 2009: Growth / Harvest
• 2008: Snapshots
• 2007: The Beach
• 2006: Summer School
• 2005: Road Trip
• 2004: Summer Vacation
• 2003: Hot Summer Nights
• 2002: a transition that takes place over the summer months