Rules

Please read the rules carefully before submitting your entry via the entry form. Entries not complying with the competition rules may be disqualified.

Eligibility

1. Entrants must be 16 years or over on the closing date.
2. Entries must be in English.
3. Entries must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere in print or online including blogs or personal websites.
4. Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject, and written in any style or form. We do not recommend poems and stories written for children.
5. Please, no fan fiction or use of copyrighted material, characters, song lyrics etc.
6. The flash fiction competition is international and welcomes entrants from all countries.
7. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please let us know if your entry wins a prize or is published elsewhere so we can withdraw your entry. Entry fees will not be refunded.

Format

1. Entries must be at least 180 words but no more than 360 words. Titles are not included in the word count. All word counts will be checked at wordcounter.net. Entries with fewer than 180 words or more than 360 words will be disqualified.
2. Entries must be anonymous and must not include your name, address, email, telephone number or any other personal information. Entries that include personal information will be disqualified.
3. Entries will only be accepted in the following formats: Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx), OpenDocument Text (.odt), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and Text Document (.txt).
4. Please think of our readers: use a legible font and size.
5. The filename of your entry should be the same as your title. We like titles, but if you want to submit an untitled entry, use the first five words of your entry as the filename.

Submission

1. Entries should be made via the online entry form.
2. Authors may make corrections to their entry up to the closing date of the round. Please resubmit the entry via the entry form and enter ‘Corrected version of [ Title]’ in story title box.
3. We reserve the right to correct spelling and punctuation before publishing. Any significant edits will be checked with the author before publication.
4. Entries must be received before midnight UK time at the end of the closing date shown on the schedule page.
5. Entries missing the deadline will roll over to the next flash fiction competition.
6. There is no limit to the number of entries an entrant may make.
7. Multiple entries should be submitted separately.
8. If you supply a link to your personal website or social media profile etc., and your entry is published on the website, your link will be published with your entry. We reserve the right not to publish links that are not directly relevant to entrants or their writing or that we deem to be inappropriate.
9. Entries will be acknowledged by email autoresponder.
10. Please check your email address carefully before submitting your entry.
11. If you do not receive a confirmation email (don’t forget to check your spam) please contact us via the contact page.
12. Entrants are responsible for completing the submission process correctly and alerting us to any problems they encounter. Reflex Fiction accepts no liability for entries not received due to a failure on the part of the entrant to follow the submission process correctly.

Payment

1. The standard entry fee is £7. Discounts are available for multiple entries.
2. Entries, including discounted entries, do not expire. You can buy now and use in future rounds of the competition.
3. Payment is through PayPal only, but you do not need a PayPal account to enter. If you do not have a PayPal account, and do not want to create one, you can checkout as a guest using your debit or credit card.
4. Entries must be accompanied by the email address used for the PayPal transaction so we can cross-check our records: your story will not be read if you haven’t paid the fee.
5. No refunds will be given.

Determination of Winners

1. All entries are read and scored anonymously by members of the Reflex Fiction team.
2. Entries are judged and scored on five criteria: Subject, Story, Character, Language, and Technical.
3. Approximately fifty entries will be selected to form the long-list.
4. Long-listed entries will be read by an independent judge who will select the third, second, and first place entries.
5. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Winning Entries

1. The prizes for the current flash fiction competition can be found on the schedule page.
2. Long-listed titles and author names will be announced on the Reflex Fiction website one month after the closing date.
3. First, second, and third placed entries will be published on the Reflex Fiction website four months after the closing date.
4. Between the announcement of the long-list and publication of the winning entries, we will publish one non-winning entry each day. These will include entries that made the long-list and entries that didn’t. We will only publish non-winning entries where permission to do so was given by the author.
5. If your entry is long-listed and you gave us permission to publish your entry, it will be published on the website.
6. If your entry is not long-listed and you gave us permission to publish your entry, it may still be published on the website between the announcement of the long-list and publication of the winners.
7. Winning authors will be contacted regarding their prizes as soon as practicable after publication of the winning stories.

Copyright

1. Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author; however, the winners of the first, second, and third place prizes grant Reflex Fiction:
   • the right to publish their entry before anyone else in print or online.
   • non-exclusive rights to their entry, including the right to display their entry indefinitely on the Reflex Fiction website and the right to include their entry in an anthology.
2. Entrants who give Reflex Fiction permission to publish their entry even if they do not win a prize, grant Reflex Fiction:
   • the right to publish their entry before anyone else in print or online.
   • non-exclusive rights to their entry, including the right to display their entry indefinitely on the Reflex Fiction website and the right to include their entry in an anthology.
3. Where an entrant gives Reflex Fiction permission to publish their entry even if they do not win a prize, and their entry is not published on the Reflex Fiction website, all rights revert back to the entrant.

The information given in these Rules is correct; however, Reflex Fiction reserves the right to change any of the above without prior notice.