The Quarterly Contest

Poems and Short Stories

Current Theme: Motivation (Summer 2026)
Prize: $50 Gift Card to a Local Bookstore of Your Choice
Submissions Open April 1, 2026
Deadline: June 21, 2026

Winners of the prize will be announced on or before the end of the season on the Fall Equinox, September 23, 2026.

What pushes you to get up every morning and fight your battles? Our motivations are often just as revealing as our actions. Mad Woman Publishing invites you to write a short story or poem exploring the fire that burns inside of you.

To participate in the contest, make your submission via the below form.

All submissions will be reviewed anonymously, so please be sure to follow the directions laid out in the form to preserve the integrity of this process.

Please only submit one piece to the contest. If you want to submit a larger collection of poetry for review, please do so via our direct manuscript submissions link. If multiple items are submitted, we will randomly select one of your pieces and treat that as your sole submission.