LegendHaven Short Story Contest 2023 for Catholic & Orthodox Authors

Join the LegendHaven Short Story Contest and create an epic world! Deadline: Oct 1.

A new short story contest for Catholic and Orthodox authors, where you can write anything you want, in any genre, any any kind of character! The central theme is: LegendHaven. LegendHaven is a home for legends, an unexpected harbor of ludicrous epicness.

Now we want to know what sort of world you imagine when you hear this name. What kind of heroes, orphans, assassins, or librarians do you send on daring quests? What sort of magic or technology or hextech keeps the world alive?

Enter a short story that's completely made up and new, or you can set it within your existing world for a novel you're working on.

Story requirements:

1. Must include the name of a location called LegendHaven

2. Must be a standalone short story, not an extract.

3. No more than 3000 words

4. Submit your story before Sunday, Oct 1 to earn prizes!

Contest rewards

1. The first prize winner will have their story published in our printable magazine, Pennon, and an exclusive merch hoodie from our LegendFiction store. Plus, receive a coupon code to attend one free workshop from the Legendmakers Academy of your choice. This is a chance to learn from the best, to sharpen your skills, and to elevate your craft to a new level of excellence.

2. The second and third place winners will also have their stories published in our magazine, and receive a coupon code to attend a Legend Fiction workshop - at a discount. It's an opportunity to showcase your talent, gain recognition, and take your writing career to the next level.

3. Honorable mentions from the contest may be published in Pennon at our editor's discretion.

Need inspiration?

Check out our galleries of ludicrously epic wallpapers to inspire your screens and your stories.

Here's how it works

Step 1: Post your story on your website or Substack. Don't have a website? Start a free Substack or Wordpress website to start building your author brand and fans! Document files or PDFs will not be accepted. (Get a beta reader to give you feedback first!)

Step 2: Post a link to your story in the comments on this page. Include a short blurb about the story, the age range, and the genre. (This helps other readers know what to expect - or avoid if they don't like a genre!)

Step 3: Read other stories posted in the comments, and give positive and helpful feedback. This is how our community supports and strengthens each other. Zero negative feedback - at all.

Deadline: Sunday, Oct 1.

Winners will be voted and announced live during our October convention, LegendHaven!

Helpful Resources:

• LegendFiction Writing Guidelines for Contests & Community, and your Copyrights

• Read our Short Story Checklist to level up from learner to Legend!

For example... here are some epic world ideas:

1. In Legend Haven, technology merges seamlessly with magic, giving rise to clockwork dragons that soar through the neon-lit skies, their metallic scales reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors.

2. Deep beneath the streets of Legend Haven lies the Labyrinth of Shadows, a twisting maze filled with shifting illusions, where brave souls must face their deepest fears to claim the priceless treasure that awaits them at its heart.

3. In the floating gardens of Legend Haven, sentient plants bloom with songs that heal the wounded and grant visions of the future, but beware their thorny whispers, for they hold secrets that can shatter destinies.

4. As the sun sets over Legend Haven, the city transforms into a vibrant playground for supernatural creatures, where werewolves howl at the moon, vampires dance in elegant ballrooms, and witches brew potions that can grant immortality.

5. Legend Haven's grand library, known as the Tome Nexus, houses books that hold the essence of forgotten worlds, and those who dare to read them become living conduits of knowledge, their minds expanding with every page turned.

6. Within the sprawling bazaar of Legend Haven, interdimensional traders barter with exotic goods from parallel realms, where you can find anything from enchanted artifacts to enchanted cookies that grant wishes when eaten.

7. Legends come to life in the Arena of Heroes, where warriors from all eras clash in epic battles. Watch as ancient samurais duel futuristic cyborgs and medieval knights face off against space-faring pirates in a spectacle that defies time and logic.

8. Legends whisper of the Mirror Maze, a labyrinthine structure in Legend Haven that reflects the true nature of those who dare to enter. In its twisting corridors, heroes may find their strength magnified, while villains are confronted with their darkest selves.

9. At the heart of Legend Haven lies the Veil of Eternity, a shimmering portal that grants glimpses into alternate realities. Step through, and you may find yourself in a steampunk version of Victorian London or a post-apocalyptic wasteland where dinosaurs roam.

10. Legend Haven's annual Festival of Illusions brings together performers from every realm, where acrobats defy gravity, fire dancers conjure flames from thin air, and illusionists blur the line between reality and fantasy, leaving audiences breathless with wonder.

Judging your story

Judging looks at three key areas: maturity of writing style, adherence to the contest theme and direction, and excellence in delivering the story idea.

• All genres welcome.

• Ideally Young Adult fiction, not children's stories, and no extremely mature content.

• No fan fiction. Your creative world may be similar to your favorite series, but must have original content.

• Contestant participants are not limited to members of the LegendFiction community.

• All stories are subject to mentor review. We will select and review stories that best follow our content and contest guidelines.

• We review every entry after the deadline, and select the top 3-5 best for Round 1. (This number may change, depending on the quantity and quality of entries.)

• The Round 1 entries will be voted on live during our LegendHaven convention by all attendees.

• The most popular story will earn first place. In the event of a tie, a mentor or a sponsor will cast a deciding vote.

Feedback

• All participants will be notified about the contest finalists by email, or in the community. Judges’ decisions are final.

• We may offer personalized feedback only to contestants who make it into Round 1. 

• We read all submissions ‘anonymously,’ meaning name and past expertise does not influence our decision on the merit of your entry.

• We provide feedback and editing recommendations on every entry that proceeds through the contest rounds. Poorly written jumbles of words, or inexperienced entries, are passed over in favor of entries with demonstrated skill. The LegendFiction staff reserves the right to NOT award a winner if the submissions do not reach a publishable standard.

• A contestant continues to earn their place by incorporating feedback and demonstrating improvement. All our editors have been trained to help guide the development of each piece to reach its fullest potential in keeping with the author’s vision. We value your effort.

• Preference is given to stories with solid storytelling structure, well constructed and written, and is consistent with the LegendFiction voice, as determined by contest staff and administrators, in their sole but reasonable discretion.

Ready to begin?

Drop a comment right here to let us know you're entering a story! Once you have your story, post your link.