One Story is now accepting applications for its One Teen Story Contest 2026. Interested candidates are encouraged to click here to learn more about this contest and apply for it.
About One Story One Teen Story Contest
One Teen Story publishes 3 stories a year and accepts submissions from teen writers ages 13-19. For a list of writers we have published in the past, please visit our past issues page. For our One Teen Story contest, we ask writers ages 13-19 to enter their original, unpublished fiction. We are interested in great short stories of any genre about the teen experience—literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. What’s in a great short story? Interesting teen characters, strong writing, and a beginning, middle, and end.
Benefits of One Story One Teen Story Contest
- The contest winners will receive $500 upon publication.
- The contest winners will also have the opportunity to work with a One Teen Story editor prior to publication.
- Honorable mentions will be chosen in three age categories: 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19, and each will be announced on our website, by email announcement, and on social media.
One Story One Teen Story Contest Requirements
- To enter, you must be between the ages of 13-19 as of December 1, 2025.
- Short stories should be between 2,000 to 4,500 words and be the writer’s own original, previously unpublished work.
- Previously published stories and stories forthcoming at other publications cannot be considered. This includes stories that have been self-published online on personal websites or other publishing platforms, including blogs and school publications.
- By submitting your work, you are acknowledging that it is your own creation, that it has not been borrowed from any other person’s work (including film, video, and online content), that it has not been created with any assistance from AI tools or software, and that the characters and situations are of your own invention.
- Stories should have teens as their main characters and be about the teen experience.
- No entry fee is required.
- Only one submission per person.
- One Teen Story reserves the right to approve all final, edited content.
- A parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form for One Teen Story to publish the names of winners and honorable mentions who are under the age of 18 on our website and social media platforms.
- You must submit through our online submission manager.
- Proof of age must be provided by all winners and finalists.
Application Date and Process
- When you are ready to submit, please go to our online submission manager and select One Teen Story Contest followed by your age group (13-15, 16-17, 18-19). You will receive a confirmation email upon submitting. This is also where you can view the status of your submission or withdraw a submission.
Application Deadline
01 December, 2025
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One Story One Teen Story Contest
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