The Decameron Project is once again partnering with The Center for Fiction for a National Teen Storyteller Contest. Young writers, ages 13-18, are encouraged to submit their best work on the theme of Criminal and Social Justice for a chance to win a $100 cash prize and up to $100 for the CFF bookstore. This contest is part of our NEA Big Read in celebration  of Ernest J. Gaines’ classic novel A Lesson Before Dying. We invite entries to respond broadly to the themes of social justice and the criminal justice system. The stories should be between 300-1000 words.  

The three winning stories will be published on The Center for Fiction and The Decameron Project’s websites. 

• The first-place winner will receive a $100 cash prize, a $100 bookstore gift certificate, and a Center for Fiction tote bag.
• The second-place winner will receive a $50 bookstore gift certificate and a Center for Fiction tote bag.
• The third-place winner will receive a $25 bookstore gift certificate and a Center for Fiction tote bag.

Final decisions regarding winners and finalists will be made by The Center for Fiction staff. The Center for Fiction reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entries that do not follow the contest rules or contain lewd, obscene, defamatory, or hateful content.