For Sunspot Lit’s 2020 Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the beginning comes. Word limit is 250 for prose, 25 words for poetry. Graphic novel entries should be the first page (unlimited number of panels on that page) with a maximum of 250 words…so, cut the number of panels in order to meet the word count, if needed. Visual art entries should be the first in a series, the first in a gallery lineup, the first photo in a themed collection, etc. Entries are limited to one image with up to 250 words to describe the series, lineup or collection. 

For 2020, the entry fee has been reduced due to COVID’s economic impact.

Close: September 30, 2020

Prize: $250 cash, publication for the winner, publication offered to runners-up and finalists. 

In addition to receiving the cash prize, the winner will be published. Select finalists will have the chance to be published. Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of one month after contest completion as well as the annual fall print edition. 

Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period.  

Enter as many times as you like through Submittable, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected.

WRITING A NEW WORLD

Sunspot Literary Journal is dedicated to amplifying diverse multinational voices. We offer an Editor’s Prize of $50 for the annual edition. Artwork selected for a cover will be paid $20. Visit SunspotLit.com to download digital editions for free.

All types of prose from flash fiction and poetry to stories and essays, including scripts and screenplays, are welcome. We also accept long-form, novelette, and novella length works up to 49,000 words. Poetry can be up to 1,250 lines. Translations welcome.

One piece per prose submission. Use the correct form according to the length of your prose and poetry. Works longer than allowed by the form used will be declined unread.

Poets can submit one or two items using different forms. 

Artists can submit one or two items using different forms.

The Fast Flux options offer a one-week turnaround for prose and art. Poets receive a two-week turnaround, with most responses being sent within one week.  

All submissions must be unpublished (except on a personal blog). Simultaneous submissions welcome. Submit as many times as you like.