Judged by Steve Almond

The Montana Prize in Fiction seeks to highlight work that showcases an authentic voice, a boldness of form, and a rejection of functional fixedness. The winner, chosen by a judge to be determined, will be featured in CutBank 81 and receive $500. All pieces will be considered for print publication. We look forward to reading your work!

Submissions deadline is March 15, 2014. Submissions are accepted through our online submission manager only. The $17 contest entry fee includes a one-year subscription to CutBank and covers the reading of a single submission in a single genre. Please send only a single work of no greater than 35 pages. Please submit only once per genre, though writers are permitted to submit in multiple genres.

 Include a short cover letter that mentions your address (where your subscription will be sent), phone number, and email address, as well as the title of your work. Please include the author’s name on the manuscript—names will be removed from the pool of submissions that goes before our contest judges. Current subscribers must submit the same $17 fee, and their CutBank subscriptions will be extended by one year. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your submission via Submittable immediately should it be accepted elsewhere. We are unable to offer refunds.

Entrants will be notified of their submission status no later than May 15, 2014. One winner in each genre, as chosen by our guest judges, will receive a $500 award and publication in CutBank 81, our summer 2012 issue. Winners will be required to complete a W-9 form to receive payment. All manuscripts are considered for publication in CutBank. All rights to selected manuscripts revert to the author upon publication. The author grants their permission to have their work electronically archived as part of CutBank 81 in EBSCO International’s subscription-based research database. Current University of Montana students and faculty and former CutBank staff are not eligible for the awards.

Visit the website: http://www.cutbankonline.org/submit/contests/