By the end of our very first fiction contest in August 2023, we here at Hey Alma were absolutely blown away. We had asked our audience for previously unpublished Jewish fiction a few months earlier, and in turn we received many, many wonderful submissions. They ranged in topic from Yiddish ghosts and golems to grandparents and synagogue basements, and explored themes of generational trauma, Jewish identity, belief in God and the horrors of dating.
It was a treat for our staff to read through and carefully consider each submission; and it was equally satisfying to announce that our guest judge T Kira Madden selected Ellen Gordon’s “There And Back Again” and Sonja Vitow’s “Cucumber Melon” as runners-up in the contest and the winner as Phoebe Kranefuss and her story “Husband, Baby, Shell.”
So this summer, we’re back for more. The Hey Alma team is thrilled to announce our second-ever Jewish fiction contest, which is now open!
We’re looking for previously unpublished Jewish short stories (more on that in a bit) of any genre. Emerging and established writers are all welcome to submit. Finalists will be selected by the staff of Hey Alma. The winner will be chosen by guest judge Gabrielle Korn, author of memoir “Everybody (Else) Is Perfect” and novels “Yours For The Taking” and “The Shutouts.”
Here’s a bit about Gabrielle, a writer whose fiction we adore:
Gabrielle Korn is the author of three books and the former editor in chief of Nylon Media. Her debut memoir “Everybody (Else) Is Perfect” was named the best LGBTQ+ book of the year by Oprah Magazine and the best Jewish memoir of the year by Hey Alma. Her second book, the dystopian science fiction novel “Yours For The Taking,” was an Indie Next pick and a New York Times best book of the month. Its recent sequel, “The Shutouts,” has been called “another winner” by Publishers Weekly and “a perfect blend of sadness and hope” by Kirkus. Her writing has appeared across the internet for fifteen years, with bylines in McSweeney’s, The Millions, Literary Hub, InStyle, Refinery29, Oprah Magazine, and more, as well as several anthologies, including Michelle Tea’s “Sluts.” She’s also a ghostwriter, but for obvious reasons can’t really share more details than that. She lives in LA with her wife and dog.
And here’s what she’s looking for in a winning story:
So, what makes a short story a Jewish short story? We’re pretty much leaving that up to you. It can feature Jewish characters, delve into Jewish themes, or play off famous Jewish texts. It can take place in a bagel shop in New York City or somewhere out in space (the Jewniverse, if you will). It can be super Jewish, or subtly so. If it feels Jewish to you, chances are we’ll agree.
Above all, we’re looking for a compelling story, beautiful prose and an exciting voice.
The winner will be published on Hey Alma and awarded a $250 honorarium (and a piece of Hey Alma merch for good measure). Submissions will be open until Friday, July 25. To submit, please follow these guidelines:
- Stories should be 3,000 words or less, and must be previously unpublished
- Send your story as a Word or Google doc to fiction@heyalma.com
- In the body of the email, please provide your name and a brief bio that includes anything we might want to know about you
- We will only accept one story per submitter (so choose your favorite!)
- Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your piece has been accepted elsewhere
We cannot wait to read your stories! Good luck!
