The 2025 Riddle Fence Contests opens April 1, 2025 (no fooling!)
***
FICTION
Special Guest Judge: Saeed Teebi, Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize finalist for Her First Palestinian
$1000 GRAND PRIZE & PUBLICATION IN RF #56
DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2025
NEW! THIS YEAR -- All contests are open to Canadian residents only.
ENTRY FEE: $29. All fees are in Canadian dollars and include a one-year subscription to Riddle Fence.
Free entry! for BIPOC contest submissions. Just self-identify upon entry.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission.
Parameters:
One short-fiction submission is one story, maximum 5000 words.
General contest rules: An entry consists of one submission in one genre. Multiple entries are allowed; however, each entry must be accompanied by its own entry fee.
Please note: Entries must be original and unpublished elsewhere. No simultaneous submissions and no previously published (or accepted for publication) submissions. Work that is written, co-written, created, or assisted by AI is not eligible.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission. Please note that any submissions that include name identification will be disqualified, and fees will not be refunded.
Every paid entry fee gets a free subscription. Want to give your contest subscription as a gift to someone? No problem — please indicate the intended address on your form.
Contest winners and honourable mentions will be contacted directly by email. Other entrants are not directly contacted about the results.
Winners and honourable mentions will be published in Riddle Fence #56.
The 2025 Riddle Fence contests open April 1, 2025 (no fooling!)
***
POETRY
$1000 GRAND PRIZE & PUBLICATION IN RF #56
Special Guest Judge: Hannah Green, Governor General's Award winner for Xanax Cowboy
DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2025
NEW! This Year -- All Contests are open to Canadian Residents only.
ENTRY FEE: $29. All fees are in Canadian dollars and include a one-year subscription to Riddle Fence.
Free entry! for BIPOC contest submissions. Just self-identify upon entry.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission.
Parameters:
One poetry submission is up to 3 poems; no more than 100 lines per poem.
General contest rules: An entry consists of one submission in one genre. Multiple entries are allowed; however, each entry must be accompanied by its own entry fee.
Please note: Entries must be original and unpublished elsewhere. No simultaneous submissions and no previously published (or accepted for publication) submissions. Work that is written, co-written, created, or assisted by AI is not eligible.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission. Please note that any submissions that include name identification will be disqualified, and fees will not be refunded.
Every paid entry fee gets a free subscription. Want to give your contest subscription as a gift to someone? No problem -- please indicate the intended address on your form.
Contest winners and honourable mentions will be contacted directly by email. Other entrants are not directly contacted about the results.
The winning entries and honourable mentions will be published in Riddle Fence #56.
The 2025 Riddle Fence contests open April 1, 2025 (no fooling!)
***
VISUAL ART
Special Guest Judge: Sobey Art Award nominee Lucas Morneau
$1000 GRAND PRIZE & PUBLICATION IN RF #56
DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2025
NEW! This year -- All contests are open to Canadian Residents only.
ENTRY FEE: Canada $29. All fees are in Canadian dollars and include a one-year subscription to Riddle Fence.
Free entry! for BIPOC contest submissions. Just self-identify upon entry.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission.
Parameters:
One visual art submission is one piece of artwork. For visual art submissions, please also include any necessary information about the work in a separate file (medium, materials, etc.)
General contest rules: An entry consists of one submission in one genre. Multiple entries are allowed; however, each entry must be accompanied by its own entry fee.
Please note: Entries must be original and unpublished elsewhere. No simultaneous submissions and no previously published (or accepted for publication) submissions. Work that is written, co-written, created, or assisted by AI is not eligible.
Judging for the contest is blind. Do not identify yourself on your actual submission. Please note that any submissions that include name identification will be disqualified, and fees will not be refunded.
Every paid entry fee gets a free subscription. Want to give your contest subscription as a gift to someone? No problem -- please indicate the intended address on your form.
Contest winners and honourable mentions will be contacted directly by email. Other entrants are not directly contacted about the results.
The winning entries and honourable mentions will be published in Riddle Fence #56.
Riddle Fence is a Newfoundland and Labrador-based journal of arts and culture, published four times yearly.
For creative nonfiction we're seeking work with a taut narrative drive, emotional resonance, and thoughtful explorations that grapple with a theme. The grappling is key. Tension is non-negotiable, as is strong prose. For examples, please read Andreae Callanan's "All the ghosts a voice can summon" and Bushra Junaid's "On Hosting."
PRACTICAL GUIDELINES TO AVOID REJECTION:
Please submit your work as a .doc or .docx file. All other formats will be rejected.
Double-space.
Make sure your name, title, and word count appear on every page of your submission.
Shorter essays are more likely to be published.
Our suggested maximum word count is 3,000 words. Occasionally a complex and brilliant piece will demand more words but that is extremely rare.
A FEW OTHER GUIDELINES: The CNF Editor appreciates a brief cover letter, especially if it includes the word count. Riddle Fence accepts simultaneous submissions, but you MUST inform us immediately if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
Our free submissions window is open from February 1-March 31, 2025. (You can submit all year with a discounted subscription.)
Be patient. We receive many submissions and read them all with care. It may take up to 6 months for a response.