NYC Midnight's Writing Challenges Are Open Right Now

If you've got a story itching to get out, NYC Midnight is running several of its signature timed writing contests, and registration is open for new writers to jump in.

NYC Midnight is known for its prompt-based format: writers get a genre, an action or subject, and sometimes an object or character assignment, then race the clock to write an original piece before the deadline. Challenges range from 24-hour microfiction sprints to week-long short story rounds, with cash prizes and judge feedback for every entry — win or not.

Right now, the 250-word Microfiction Challenge is open for registration, with an early-bird entry deadline of October 29, 2026 and a final deadline of December 4, 2026. It's a great entry point if you've never done one of these before — the word count is tight, but so is the time commitment.

For horror-inclined writers: Writers are challenged to create short scary stories no longer than 400 words based on scare, character, and action assignments in 48 hours.

Click here to learn more and register.

For readers who've been eyeing that half-finished manuscript or just want to flex some fast-fiction muscles, this is a fun, low-stakes way to get words on the page with a real deadline attached. NYC Midnight also donates a portion of every entry fee to charity, and writers keep full rights to whatever they write.

Interested? You can register directly at nycmidnight.com. Good luck out there — and if your winning entry turns into a book, you know where to sell it.