Contest Is Open

Porchlight is proud to accept entries the second annual William Gay Memorial Prize in Short Story which will present at least $300 and a trophy to the first place winner, $150 for second, and $50 for third, along with a featured presentation in Porchlight.* All three will be included in our printed anthology in 2027.

GUIDELINES:

Entries must be original, unpublished short stories of no more than 7,500 words, submitted by established and emerging writers whose voices embody the high literary standards set by the late William Gay. However, this is NOT a “write like William Gay” contest.

Please include a cover letter as part of the document that includes a brief bio and a statement attesting that the submitted work is not AI-generated. Entries without this statement will not be considered and entry fee will be forfeited.

Other than in the cover letter, entries should be devoid of any information that indicates authorship since judging—to be done by Porchlight editors and our panel of readers—will be anonymous.

Double space entries in Times New Roman 12 point and upload either a .doc or .pdf through Submittable. Only digital entries will be accepted.

Entry fee is $20, payable through Submittable.

Deadline is midnight, Saturday, October 31, 2026.

Winners will be announced on or before December 31, 2026, via email, social media, and on the Porchlight website.

*If the number of entries exceeds 2025 levels, prize money will be increased.

Artwork by William Gay, courtesy of J.M. White, The William Gay Archives