Here is our judge Dan Crawley's writing prompt for the competition:

• Start the story with a bad day getting worse and by the last line, everything is better in an unexpected way. FYI: I dig strong imagery, character action, and irony.

Submission Guidelines are slightly different for our annual writing competition than our regular guidelines. Please follow these:

1. Submissions close on April 22, 2026. Our judge Dan Crawley will receive a short list by May 2, 2026 and will read the submissions blind. He will select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize along with five honorable mentions. 

2. Submit one story via Submittable with exactly six-sentences and no more than 400 words. Title does not count as one of the six sentences or towards the word count. Follow Dan's prompt.  

3. No previously published material. No AI.  

4. Simultaneous submissions are fine. Notify us promptly if accepted elsewhere.  

5. Contest is open to everyone, regardless of the date of your last submission or publication with Gooseberry Pie.  

6. No submissions with hatred, prejudice or violence.   

A Total of $1100.00 in prizes: 

First Place: $500.00 (USD)  Second Place: $250.00 (USD)  Third Place: $100.00 (USD)

Five (5) Honorable Mentions: $50.00 (USD) Each

Prizes will be sent via PayPal or Venmo. Do not provide this information with your entry. We will contact you for that information if needed. You must have one of these accounts (PayPal or Venmo) in order to receive your winnings.