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Climate-focused short story contest offers $8,700 in prizes

By Maria Korolov

Grist, a publication that focuses on climate, sustainability and social justice has announced a contest for short stories that focus on climate change. Entry is free, the deadline is April 12, and the short stories should be between 3,000 and 5,000 words in length.

“We’re embracing the opportunity to look beyond the confines of the present moment and share visions of solutions that haven’t even been dreamt up yet,” the publication said in its announcement yesterday.

(Image courtesy Free-Photos via Pixabay.)

The winning writer will be awarded $3,000, with the second- and third-place finalists receiving $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. An additional nine finalists will each receive a $300 honorarium.

Climate fiction, or cli-fi, is a relatively new literary movement that deals with the effects of climate change on human society.

Notable works of cli-fi include Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, The Crystal World by J. G. Ballard, Hothouse
by Brian Aldiss, The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Ice Schooner by Michael Moorcock, and War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi.

Full contest submission details and instructions are here.